THYROID EYE DISEASE

Early symptoms of thyroid eye disease are:

• Feeling of irritation in the eyes
• Excessive tearing or dry eye
• Forward displacement of the eye
• Sensitivity to light and double vision

Later symptoms of the condition may include:

• Swelling of the eye
• Pain
• Inability to move the eye
• Corneal ulceration
• Loss of vision (rare)

DIAGNOSIS

Thyroid eye disease may be determine easily by simply examining the eyes and if prior to that, you are already diagnosed with thyroid problem. To confirm diagnosis, your doctor may order several tests such as:

• Blood tests- Thyroid function test, a specialized blood test, may reveal how well the thyroid gland is functioning.
• Imaging tests- CT scans or MRI’s can also show if there are any problem in the thyroid glands.
• Eye tests- This test may help assess your general sight. The tests specifically aim to know how good is your peripheral vision or how much the muscles have been affected.

TREATMENT

The physical change brought by the stretching of the muscles around the eye socket may not go back to their original form. The treatment will basically limit infalmmation and swelling as well as protecting the surface of the eye.

Some of the treatment for mild cases include:

• Ocular lubrication
• Immunosuppressive medicines may  help dampen down the immune system which is producing these abnormal antibodies.
• Pain relievers
• Selenium supplement may help reduce swelling and decrease mild symptoms.
• Corticosteroid drug, taken by mouth or intravenously, is the main therapy for Graves’ eye disease.
• Oral prednisone is used most often when eye bulging and swelling continue to get worse.

In more severe cases like  compression of the optic nerve and treating impaired vision, a surgical operation may be needed. Surgery may also be used to reposition the eyelid to be ale to close effectively.

PREVENTION

Thyroid eye disease cannot be prevented. However, quitting smoking may reduce your risk of developing of this disease.