Yes, I have been dealing with dry, gritty eyes for sometime. I use OTC artificial tears. In the past couple weeks I started taking vitamin a, because I researched supplements that might help dry eye. It's too soon to know if it will help, but I certainly hope it does. Lupus can cause inflammation anywhere in the body. But there is one type of lupus that attacks the eyes, ears, and brain--basically anything in the head. My doctor told me to see her whenever it attacks that area, because it can cause lots of problems. So it's good that you are seeing your doctor. Best wishes to you.

I have Sjogrens which often goes with Lupus and produces those symptoms. You may want to check that out. I use artificial tears with all natural preservatives and other drops when having an acute episode.
It also cause dryness in your mouth. Those are the initial symptoms but there are others.
It may just be allergies but if you have Lupus I would check. Good luck.

YES! A thousand times YES!

About the only thing you can do is use the steroid eye drops, artificial tears, and take oral steroids if the eye drops don't help.

I've had my eyeballs swell out of my head before...it's most unpleasant, not to mention the inability to see.

Thank you to all that responded. I don't feel alone in this symptom any more. I am sorry we have all gone through it. The drops do seem to be helping a bit. Putting murine tears in my eyes and closing them for awhile helps too!

Well its good you got it figured out. I have chronic dry eyes but no inflammation. I have never had pain with it just dryness.

I have had this 4 times now. It is diagnosed as Iritis and if left without treatment can damage the eyes. My eye doctor starts by dilating my eye/eyes and gives me the bottle so I can use it twice a day to keep the eye dilated for about a week. This is to stop the iris from expanding and contracting.since that is causing the pain. It can also get stuck and tear. At the same time I start with the steroid drops in the eye every 2 hours. This gets reduced down in increments over time but it is weeks. My eye doctor checks my eyes about every 3 days until she is convinced the swelling is gone. The steroid drops are still continued because if you stop taking them too early the swelling will come back.

I also use the refresh eye drops every day. Even when I am not having Iritis. My eye doctor is the one who suggested I have my ANA retested (had been 640 for 4 years) and it jumped to 1280.
She said that Iritis is very common with Lupus and RA.

^ That can happen. And, should be checked if there's swelling or blurred vision.