Auto Immune??

[Eyecloud]

Has anyone linked AMD to auto immune disease?. I have several auto immune problems and wondered if there is a connection?

[maryparry]

I would like to know this too. I would also like to know if there is a link to migraine,measles and looking at the sun directly as a child.

[Hidden]

Hello Eyecloud,

I have dry AMD, and suffer from thrombocytopenia which is an auto immune disease. I really do think that there is a connection. Also, my daughter developed an auto immune disease at the age of eleven, which is Myasthenia Gravis. At the time that she developed this disease, I was asked by the medical profession if anyone in our family suffered from an auto immune disease.

Research is very scant where AMD is concerned, let's face it, whatever funding we may have has to be split amongst several organisations. Not ideal, as progress has to be slowed down for all concerned. I only read the other day in the Macular Society magazine, that it could take another 20 years, or so, before we may be on the right side of looking at a cure.

[springcross]

Hi Eyecloud. Interested to see your post as I have wet AMD in my left eye. It was diagnosed about eighteen months ago. Just last June/July (2019) I started to get problems with my hands which turned out to be one of the most awful painful things I have ever experienced. By the time I got an appointment to see a consultant it was August and I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I will definitely mention this to my consultant when I see him in March. xx

[ironbrain]

I had a couple of patches of psoriasis about 15 or so years ago, a patch of wet eczema 10 years or so ago, I now have restless leg syndrome and AMD. All autoimmune diseases involving interleukin-17.

If you look through my posts, you'll find quite a number of them on autoimmune aspects, including this one a couple of days ago:

healthunlocked.com/maculars...

[Minsue]

My mother has lupus so maybe connected to auto immune diseases

[Rosalyn-helpline Partner]

Hello Eyecloud,

There can be a link between the treatment for certain conditions e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, some skin conditions and others that involve inflammation and the development of retinopathy i.e. there can be a connection between the use of hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and hydroxychloroquine retinopathy:

macularsociety.org/sites/de...

Kind regards,

Macular Society Advice and Information Service

0300 3030 111

[e-mail]

[springcross]

Hi Eyecloud. Thought you might be interested in this which someone posted this morning.

opticianonline.net/news/sci... (Hope the link works).

[Eyecloud in reply to springcross]

Thank you Springcross, very interesting reading. I thought there was probably a link.

Fingers crossed for a cure!

[springcross in reply to Eyecloud]

You're welcome. The same person also posted another link just after that one but when I opened it, it was so scientific that I didn't bother to send it. I will if you would like to see it.

[Eyecloud in reply to springcross]

No, that’s fine, I definitely wouldn’t understand it!

Thank you.