Yup, I have. I have rheumatoid arthritis, I was diagnosed in my 20s, so its not a disease of the "old", but a disease of not only young adults but even children.

A certain number of people will also develop sjogren's syndrone -- dry eyes and dry mouth. Some, may also develop eye inflammations, like uveitis or scleritis. They can be serious if left untreated, so its important to see an opthalmologist, especially one with some experience with auto immune disorders, cuz that is what these eye conditions and RA are.

If your mom has rheumatoid arthritis, a good place to check out is the RA forum, click on forums tab on the top of this page.

I have had scleritis, and its finally cleared up after taking steroid eye drops for months.

Good luck, take care.