Question: I have been diagnosed in the past with psoriatic arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and ocular neovascularization. I was told that there are blood vessels growing on my sclera and if they reach my cornea I will need a corneal transplant. They tend to slow down and occasionally speed up with new growth, but are not on my cornea yet. Since I know that corneal transplants often do not work, can you tell me the current treatments for the level my problem is now?




Dr. Hibberd's Answer:

Your lack of lubrication as a result of Sjogren’s syndrome will impair corneal integrity. This will jeopardize stem cell therapy and makes corneal transplantation more prone to failure. Superficial tissue growths over the sclera that advance toward the cornea are usually removed. Vascular changes of sclera management are beyond the scope of this column, though they may be accessible to selective laser therapy. Corneal repair by stem cell transplantation is a hot topic, but corneal transplantation remains the standard for corneal disease that has not responded to medical measures.