Eyes and psoriatic arthritis: what to know

Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory condition affecting joints, tendons, and sometimes tissues beyond the joints. Eye inflammation may affect one or both eyes and can feel different from simple dryness. Joint pain, swelling, and morning joint stiffness may occur at the same time, but eye symptoms can also appear separately. A red, painful eye or a change in vision should not be assumed to be an arthritis flare or treated with leftover eye drops.

Contact your rheumatology or primary-care team about any new eye symptom and mention your psoriatic arthritis medicines. An eye clinician can examine the eye and decide whether prescription treatment is needed. Continue prescribed medicines unless your clinician tells you otherwise; do not start steroid eye drops without an examination. Joint symptoms can be discussed alongside eye care, including whether anti-inflammatory medication or physiotherapy is appropriate.

Seek same-day urgent assessment for eye pain, marked redness, light sensitivity, sudden blurred or reduced vision, new floaters, or a severe headache with nausea. Go to emergency care if vision changes are sudden or severe, or if facial weakness, confusion, or difficulty speaking accompanies them. Rapid assessment can help protect vision and identify problems unrelated to psoriatic arthritis.

Ask whether you need an urgent eye examination, which symptoms should trigger immediate help, and whether your current arthritis treatment needs review. Ask how to distinguish medication effects, dry eye, infection, and inflammatory eye disease, and whether regular eye monitoring is suitable for you.