Ankylosing Spondylitis, Ophthalmologic Perspective

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Medical Author:

Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS

Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS

Andrew A. Dahl, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist. Dr. Dahl's educational background includes a BA with Honors and Distinction from Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, and an MD from Cornell University, where he was selected for Alpha Omega Alpha, the national medical honor society. He had an internal medical internship at the New York Hospital/Cornell Medical Center.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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• AS Ophthalmologic Introduction
• HLA-B27 Gene
• AS Diagnosis and Treatment
• Ankylosing Spondylitis May Cause Anterior Uveitis
• Anterior Uveitis Symptoms
• Anterior Uveitis Treatment
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Pictures
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

AS Ophthalmologic Introduction

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of progressive arthritis that leads to chronic inflammation of the spine and the area where the spine joins the pelvis (sacroiliac joints). Ankylosing spondylitis primarily affects the axial skeleton (skeleton of the head and trunk) and the related ligaments and joints. Ankylosing spondylitis can also affect other joints and organs in the body, including the eyes, lungs, kidneys, shoulders, knees, hips, heart, and ankles.

The term ankylosing spondylitis refers to stiffening and inflammation of the spine. Ankylosing spondylitis causes stiffness, aching, and pain around the spine and pelvis. The spine stiffens because of inflammation of the joints between the bones of the spine. This inflammation can cause the vertebrae to fuse together and eventually can lead to a total fusion of the spine. This fusion occurs when the vertebrae (spinal bones) actually grow together, fusing the spine due to calcification of the ligaments and disks between the individual vertebrae. If the vertebrae fuse together, the spine loses its mobility, leaving the vertebrae brittle and vulnerable to fractures. Ankylosing spondylitis may also cause a curvature of the spine.

Ankylosing spondylitis is often referred to as a form of inflammation of the bony spine called seronegative spondyloarthropathy. In the case of ankylosing spondylitis, the term seronegative means that blood tests do not show the presence of certain factors seen with rheumatoid arthritis. The term spondyloarthropathy means a disease that affects the joints of the spine.

Ankylosing spondylitis primarily affects young adults and is approximately nine times more common in males than in females. This disease is also approximately three times more common in whites than in African Americans. The onset of ankylosing spondylitis is most common in men 17-35 years of age. In women, the symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis often first appear during pregnancy.