Xeropthalmia

Xeropthalmia: Dry eyes. Also, called conjunctivitis arida. Xeropthalmia can be associated with systemic diseases (such as Sjogren’s syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, hypothyroidism, and others) or deficiency of vitamin A. Xeropthalmia results from inadequate function of the lacrimal glands which supply water to produce tears. When xeropthalmia is due to vitamin A deficiency, the condition begins with night blindness and conjunctival xerosis (dryness of the eye membranes) and progresses to corneal xerosis (dryness of the cornea), and, in the late stages, to keratomalacia (softening of the cornea) . The word ôxeropthalmiaö is apt. It comes from the Greek ôxerosö (dry) + ôophthalmosö (eye) = dry eye.