Symptoms
- Dry eyes
- Watery eyes
- Blurred vision
- Trouble closing the eyes
- Red eyes
- Bulging eyes
- Double vision
- Corneal ulcerations
The goods news is vision loss is uncommon with thyroid eye disease. According to the American Thyroid Association, although compression of the optic nerve and vision loss can occur, it is rare.
Risk Factors
- Being female
- Having a family history of thyroid disease
- Being middle-age
- Smoking
Researchers are not entirely sure why some people that have Graves’ disease develop eye symptoms, and others do not.
Treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease
Treating thyroid hormone levels: The first step in treatment is to restore normal thyroid hormone levels. Medications are often prescribed that help return hormone levels to normal. Your primary care doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan. In addition, your ophthalmologist can recommend treatment for your eye symptoms.
Eye drops: Eye drops are helpful to reduce scratchiness and dryness that can develop from an inability to close the eyes completely. For example, artificial tears may decrease discomfort and help keep the eyes lubricated. Talk to your eye doctor about which types of eye drops may work best and how often you can use them.
Prism glasses: Some people with thyroid eye disease develop double vision. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, prism glasses are sometimes helpful in treating double vision due to Graves’ disease. The glasses work by bending and redirecting the light before it travels to the eyes. The brain interprets each retina image and fuses it together as one image.
Selenium supplements: Some people with thyroid disease are thought to have low levels of the mineral selenium. But before taking supplements, it is best to talk with your doctor.
Sleep with your head elevated: Keeping your head elevated when you sleep may decrease swelling and help reduce the pressure on your eyes.
Quit smoking: According to the website Prevent Blindness, smoking increases a person’s risk of developing thyroid eye disease by up to eight times. It also decreases the effectiveness of treatment. So, if you smoke, it’s best to quit.
Eye surgery: If conservative treatment has not worked or if symptoms are severe, eye surgery may be recommended. Various types of procedures may be used depending on the problem. For instance, surgery to reposition the eyelids may help if a person cannot close their eyes completely. Eye muscle surgery is also an option to help correct double vision.
If you have questions about thyroid eye disease, please contact us. Additionally, if you would like to schedule an exam with one of our ophthalmologists, please call our office at 508-746-8600.