Encyclopedia

Xerophthalmia

Also found in: Dictionary, Medical, Wikipedia.

xerophthalmia

[‚zi‚räf′thal·mē·ə]
(medicine)
Dryness and thickening of the conjunctiva, sometimes following chronic conjunctivitis, disease of the lacrimal apparatus, or vitamin A deficiency.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Xerophthalmia

 

an affection of the eyes expressed in dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea. It arises as a result of disturbance of tear secretion and chiefly of trophic disturbances. One of the immediate causes of xerophthalmia is avitaminosis A; it may arise in children when there are severe gastrointestinal diseases. The most frequent causes of xerophthalmia are trachoma, pemphigus, and chemical burns of the eyes. It is manifested by a sensation of dryness and pain in the eyes and heaviness of the eyelids; the cornea becomes cloudy and may undergo irreversible cicatricial changes. Vision is decreased.

Xerophthalmia is treated by medication; good results are obtained by transplanting the excretory duct of the parotid gland to the conjunctival sac to restore moisture to the eye.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Mentioned in
References in periodicals archive
The most common symptoms found in systemic rheumatic diseases are arthralgias (37-80%), arthritis (14-70%), Raynaud's syndrome (45-60%), leukopenia (11-42%), and other cytopenias, xerostomia (7-40%), xerophthalmia (8-36%), nonspecific rash, and oral aphthosis [4].
Isolated Ro52 Antibodies as Immunological Marker of a Mild Phenotype of Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Diseases
Primary Sjogren's syndrome (SjS) (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by dryness such as xerophthalmia and xerostomia, and even fatigue and pain.
Glutathione protects against hepatic injury in a murine model of primary Sjogren's syndrome
VAD causes numerous health problems such as nyctalopia (night blindness), xerophthalmia (abnormal dryness of the eyeballs), keratomalacia (corneal ulcer) and visual impairment (blindness in both eyes).
The Missing Ingredient
Deficiency of this vitamin results to xerophthalmia, a serious medical condition manifested by the eyes' inability to produce tears, which leads to dryness.
Save your sight
(31) IgG4-related disease can be differentiated from SS by lower rate of xerophthalmia, xerostomia and arthralgias as well as higher rate of allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, autoimmune pancreatitis, and interstitial nephritis.
Immunoglobulin G4-related disease in the head and neck: two case reports and literature review
xerophthalmia, severe xerosis and/or cheilitis, myalgias etc.
Isotretinoin in acne: how much and for how long
Copyright © 2003-2025 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.