Can ankylosing spondylitis cause red eyes?

Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
Updated on May 03, 2025
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Firstly, ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily affects the axial joints. Its most common clinical manifestations are a stiffness in the neck or pain in the lumbar and back areas. This pain often occurs after sitting for a long time or at night, and symptoms are relieved after standing up and moving around; these are the main joint symptoms. In addition to these, there can also be extra-articular manifestations, with the most common being uveitis or iritis, which occur repeatedly. Some individuals may even develop corneal ulcers, also known in layman's terms as experiencing "red eye." These are extra-articular symptoms. Once recurrent uveitis or iritis occurs, aside from considering eye-related issues, systemic diseases must also be considered. Following the onset of this type of uveitis, the first choice of treatment is biologics.

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Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
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How is ankylosing spondylitis diagnosed?

Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune disease that cannot be cured but can be managed primarily through medication. Its main typical symptoms include stiffness in the neck or pain in the lower back, with the pain becoming more apparent when at rest or after sitting for a long time. Symptoms tend to improve with movement. A typical occurrence is pain that awakens the patient at night. Peripheral joints like the knee joint and heel can also be affected. However, the main symptoms are stiffness in the neck and pain in the lower back. Diagnosing ankylosing spondylitis requires combining symptoms with a positive B27 blood test result, and imaging tests such as CT or MRI of the sacroiliac joints, showing signs of sacroiliitis, narrowing or damage in the sacroiliac joint space, to confirm the diagnosis.

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Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
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Does ankylosing spondylitis have a genetic component?

Firstly, ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic disease that primarily affects the axial joints, and this disease is incurable. It can only be managed with medications to control the progression of the disease, delay the appearance of joint deformities, and reduce disability. This is the main purpose of its treatment. The cause of the disease is also unclear, and it is somewhat related to genetics. If parents have it, the incidence in their children is significantly increased, and there is a phenomenon of familial aggregation. It cannot be considered a hereditary disease, but there is indeed a phenomenon of familial aggregation. Moreover, the incidence of the disease in children is much higher than in families without a history of the disease.

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Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
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Does ankylosing spondylitis cause buttock pain?

Ankylosing spondylitis may cause buttock pain. It primarily affects the axial joints, and can be accompanied by extrarticular manifestations. This condition leads to stiffening and deformity of the spine, and it cannot be cured, only managed with medication to slow the progression of the disease, delay joint deformity, improve quality of life, and reduce disability rates. Its clinical manifestations vary widely, and its onset is often insidious. Men are more commonly affected and tend to experience more severe symptoms. The most common symptoms include stiffness in the neck or pain in the lumbar and back areas. However, some people may experience pain in the lower back, accompanied by morning stiffness, or alternating pain in the buttocks, or radiating pain from the groin to the lower limbs. This pain is often worse at night or after prolonged sitting, but symptoms can lessen after activity.

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Written by Yang Ya Meng
Rheumatology
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How is ankylosing spondylitis treated?

The treatment of ankylosing spondylitis mainly consists of three types: The first is anti-inflammatory pain relief, primarily using non-steroidal pain relief medications, such as sustained-release diclofenac sodium tablets. The second is the selection of disease control medications, mainly involving drugs like sulfasalazine tablets. For ankylosing spondylitis, the most effective and economically expensive treatment is biological agents therapy. We commonly use drugs such as tumor necrosis factor antagonists. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis during acute pain periods are advised not to engage in intense exercise. However, during remission periods, appropriate functional exercises are recommended to prevent the adhesion and stiffness of spinal joints.

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Written by Li Jing
Rheumatology
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Ankylosing Spondylitis Diagnosis Methods

Ankylosing spondylitis is primarily characterized by involvement of the elbow joints, but it can also be accompanied by extra-articular manifestations such as iritis and pain in the heel, and severe cases may present with spinal stiffness and deformity. The cause of the disease is unclear, but studies suggest it is related to genetic and environmental factors, with a significant familial aggregation. Diagnosis requires a combination of clinical symptoms, blood tests including HLA-B27, and imaging such as CT or MRI of the sacroiliac joints to confirm inflammation or damage to these joints. To diagnose ankylosing spondylitis, these three criteria must be met. The most important factor is the presence of clinical symptoms that persist for more than three months, improve with activity, and do not significantly improve with rest. This is a typical characteristic of ankylosing spondylitis.