Autoimmune

Autoimmune: Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic ("lymphocyte": white blood cell originating in the lymph system) infiltration of the lacrimal and salivary glands. Three criteria are required for diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome: dry eye, dry mouth, and the presence of some other autoimmune disease. Ten-percent of chronic dry eye patients show symptoms of Sjogren's while a much larger percentage show some element of autoimmune disease.