THE EYES HAVE IT

What eyes can reveal about your health. this week: Rheumatoid arthritis AROUND 700,000 people in the UK have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks joints. But perhaps surprisingly, it can be detected in the eyes.

‘Chronically dry eyes and scarring on the cornea can be an indicator of rheumatoid arthritis,’ says Professor David Gartry, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. ‘Dry eyes are caused by the antibodies attacking the tearproducing lacrimal gland — specialists can detect this looking for dry areas on the front of the eye.’ More rarely, RA can also cause inflammation in the white part of your eye, known as the sclera, which can result in redness and pain.