Understanding Thyroid Eye Disease

source: Patient Platform Limited (Patient.Info)

Thyroid eye disease causes the muscles and soft tissues within the eye socket to swell. This pushes the eyeball forward and causes various eye symptoms, including bulging eyes. Treatment involves steps to protect the eye as the disease runs its course. This may involve use of artificial lubricating tears, medicines and, in some cases, surgery. Thyroid eye disease is usually associated with an abnormality of thyroid gland function. This also needs to be treated.

In thyroid eye disease the muscles and fatty tissues within the eye socket (orbit) become inflamed and swollen, pushing the eyeball forward and affecting the movements of the eye. This causes bulging eyes (what doctors call exophthalmos). In severe cases vision may be affected. It is usually (but not always) associated with an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) and most often with one particular cause of an overactive thyroid gland, Graves’ disease.