How can a diagnosis be firmly established. How can I be sure that I have Sjogrens Syndrome?
A. In order to check for dry eyes there are two well accepted tests which can be performed by an ophthalmologist: 1. Schirmer’s test which involves the use of Ophthaine to numb the eye from being irritated before placing a strip of paper (referred to as a Schirmer’s strip) in the eye. This strip measures the amount of wetting that occurs over a five minute period. Less than 5 mm of wetting is a strong indicator of dry eyes. This test is not 100% accurate and should be performed again if the diagnosis remains an issue. 2. The second test is a Rose-Bengal dye test which stains for damaged areas of the cornea. To check for dry mouth generally a salivary gland biopsy is necessary to establish a firm diagnosis. The biopsy is generally taken from the inner surface of the lower lip and sent for evaluation. It should have a positive result revealing characteristic inflammatory features consistent with the diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome.
