Can an eye exam detect Sjögren’s?

The eye findings — low tear volume, characteristic staining — often raise the first suspicion; diagnosis is confirmed with your physician through blood work and other testing.

Why don’t normal drops work for me?

Because the problem is gland destruction and inflammation, not momentary dryness. Treatment has to suppress inflammation and physically protect the surface.

What are serum tears?

Drops prepared from your own blood components, used in select severe cases to support surface healing.

Why does Sjögren's cause dry eyes?

In Sjögren's disease the immune system attacks the glands that make moisture, including the lacrimal glands that produce the watery layer of tears. Less tear volume means a surface that dries, stains and inflames, and the inflammation then damages the surface further.

How do you manage dry eyes with Sjögren's disease?

In layers: preservative-free lubricants and gels on a schedule, prescription anti-inflammatory drops, punctal plugs to keep the tears you make, autologous serum tears for surface healing in severe cases, treatment of the oil glands, and scleral lenses that bathe the cornea in fluid all day when nothing else holds. Your rheumatologist treats the disease; we treat the surface and report what we see.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Bijan Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed October 24, 2026

Sjögren’s & Autoimmune Dry Eye Treatment in Los Angeles

When the immune system turns on the tear glands.

In Sjögren’s disease and related autoimmune conditions — rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, graft-versus-host disease — the immune system attacks moisture-producing glands. The result is dry eye that laughs at drugstore drops: low tear volume, surface damage, and symptoms that shape the whole day.

Book appointmentOr call 310-828-2010 Accepted insurance

Causes: Sjögren’s, RA, lupus, GVHD
Pattern: Low tear volume + surface damage
Care: Layered, alongside your rheumatologist
Advanced: Scleral lenses, serum tears

Signs your dryness may be autoimmune

Dry mouth alongside dry eyes
A diagnosis of RA, lupus, thyroid disease or Sjögren’s
Dryness severe by midday despite constant drops
Burning with light sensitivity and fluctuating vision
Joint pain or fatigue accompanying the eye symptoms

Team care

Autoimmune dry eye is managed with your rheumatologist: our optometrists in Los Angeles treat the surface and report what the eyes reveal, since eyes are often where the disease shows first.

The dry eye program →

Treatment

Layered care for a stubborn disease.

Preservative-free lubrication and nighttime protection as the floor, not the plan
Anti-inflammatory prescription therapy (cyclosporine-class drops and others)
Punctal plugs once inflammation is controlled, to keep scarce tears on the eye
Amniotic membranes when the surface is damaged and won’t heal
Autologous serum drops in select cases, made from your own blood components
Scleral lenses: a saline reservoir worn all day, often the turning point in severe cases

Dr. Brandon Cohenmehr authored a case report on scleral lenses in a rare condition causing extreme tear deficiency. This category of dryness is a practice focus.

Severe case?

If drops have failed you for years, there is still a path.

Scleral lenses

Common questions

Sjögren’s dry eye, answered.

Anything else, call the office at 310-828-2010.

The eye findings — low tear volume, characteristic staining — often raise the first suspicion; diagnosis is confirmed with your physician through blood work and other testing.
Because the problem is gland destruction and inflammation, not momentary dryness. Treatment has to suppress inflammation and physically protect the surface.
Drops prepared from your own blood components, used in select severe cases to support surface healing.
In Sjögren's disease the immune system attacks the glands that make moisture, including the lacrimal glands that produce the watery layer of tears. Less tear volume means a surface that dries, stains and inflames, and the inflammation then damages the surface further.
In layers: preservative-free lubricants and gels on a schedule, prescription anti-inflammatory drops, punctal plugs to keep the tears you make, autologous serum tears for surface healing in severe cases, treatment of the oil glands, and scleral lenses that bathe the cornea in fluid all day when nothing else holds. Your rheumatologist treats the disease; we treat the surface and report what we see.

Also consider

Next step

Severe dryness needs a specialist’s plan.

Book a dry eye evaluation and bring your diagnosis history. We’ll build the plan around it.

Book a Dry Eye Evaluation Or call 310-828-2010