A Validated Tool can Predict Risk of Developing Thyroid Eye Disease During Antithyroid Drug Treatment of Graves’ Disease

source: Clinical Thyroidology

year: 2018

Over-activity of the thyroid gland, called hyperthyroidism, can sometimes be caused by a flaw in a person’s immune system (the body’s natural defense system against infection). This problem is a type of autoimmune disorder called Graves’ disease. In addition to thyroid gland over-activity, Graves’ disease causes eye problems in some people, including eye bulging, loss of color vision, double vision, eye pain and dry eyes.

Not everyone diagnosed with Graves’ disease will develop eye problems. Identifying people diagnosed with Graves’ disease who do develop eye disease is important, however, because early treatment may make these eye problems less severe. The goal of this study is to identify which people diagnosed with Graves’ disease will eventually have eye problems. Such people could then be treated for these eye problems before these problems become severe, and possibly irreversible.