Thyroid Eye Disease
What is thyroid eye disease?
Thyroid eye disease (Thyroid Related Orbitopathy) is an uncommon condition affecting patients who suffer from problems related to the thyroid gland. The most common thyroid disorder associated with TED is Graves’ Disease. Roughly 40% of patients with Graves’ disease will develop TED. The most common abnormalities experience by TED sufferers are prominent poppy bulging eyes, a staring expression and the sensation of the eyes feeling dry.
What are the causes?
Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which there is overproduction of thyroid hormones. It is thought to occur as part of an autoimmune disorder, where the patient’s own immune system starts to attack the thyroid gland causing it to become overactive. In a similar way, the immune system also produces abnormal antibodies which attack some of the soft tissue structures around the eye itself e.g. tendons, muscles and fat, resulting in their swelling and scarring. As a result, these soft tissue structures start to change. For example, the extraocular muscles, which control the position of gaze of the eye itself, can start to swell. Eye movements become sore, the eyes feel warmer to touch, double vision may result and the eye may start to protrude forward out of the bony socket (proptosis).
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