Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune disorder, and instead of protecting us from foreign bodies like bacteria and viruses, it can suddenly react in an abnormal way and attack the area around the eyes. Learn more about thyroid eye disease including signs, risk factors, and treatment.
Graves’ Disease
This autoimmune condition attacks the thyroid gland which in turn secretes an excessive amount of a thyroid hormone. This causes the thyroid gland to become enlarged, increasing metabolism.
During this hyperbolic condition, patients may have heart palpitations, fast heartbeat, sweating, high blood pressure, fatigue, hair loss, intolerance to heat, irritability, and weight loss.
Relationship To Thyroid Eye Disease
Tissues around the eyes can also become affected because the proteins found in eye tissue seem similar to the immune system as those of the thyroid gland. Although both conditions come from the immune system’s attack on healthy tissue, one does not cause the other. TED can occur with Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or even euthyroid and needs to be treated as a separate autoimmune disease specific to the eyes.
Symptoms Of Thyroid Eye Disease
You can usually recognize someone with this condition due to what looks like their “bulging” eyes. Pressure within the eye causes upper eyelid puffing with upper eyelids pulling up, and lower eyelids pulling down making the whites of the eyes appear larger.
Other symptoms include the following:
- Wet or dry eyes
- Redness and pain
- Dry eye and irritation, making it difficult to close eyes completely over bulging eyes
- Increased pressure within the eye
- Deep headaches which get worse with any eye movement
- Decreased vision
- Double vision
Who Is Most Vulnerable To Thyroid Eye Disease?
If you are a middle aged female, have a family history of thyroid disease, and/or have any other immune system diseases like type 2 diabetes or celiac disease, you are at an increased risk of developing thyroid eye disease.
In addition, stress, having had radiation treatment to the neck or upper chest, having had a previous thyroid surgery, or pregnancy can all increase your risk.
Lastly, if you smoke, you are doubly at risk. You are not only at risk for Graves’ Disease, but if you already have Graves’ Disease, you are more likely to develop thyroid eye disease too.
Treatment Spectrum For Thyroid Eye Disease
Treatments for thyroid eye disease range from simple things like raising your head at night to relieve pressure, cool compresses, lubricating eye drops, and wearing sunglasses. Beyond those at home treatments, oculofacial surgeon Lisa Mihora, MD will consider anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids, radiation, and several types of surgery.
You may have recently noticed a TV ad for a newly FDA approved drug for thyroid eye disease. Schedule a consultation at our office in Phoenix or Sun City West to discuss this and other treatment options for you.
If you suspect you have thyroid eye disease, contact Oculoplastic Eye Surgeons of Phoenix at (623) 522-8687 for an evaluation and to learn more about treatment options.
Sources:
Thyroid Eye Disease (clevelandclinic.org)
