Thyroid eye disease or TED, is basically an immune system disorder that happens when the immune system does not function right. Over time, this leads to inflammation and causes the tissues and muscles around the eyes to swell and puff up.
TED can lead to several symptoms, which can range from mild to serious. Treatments for TED can include medications and surgery, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
Some people might also need mental health support to manage their condition. This article discusses the symptoms, causes, and treatments of thyroid eye disease.
What is TED eye disease?
Thyroid eye disease is an eye disorder that leads to swelling, redness, and damage to the muscles and tissues surrounding the eyes. It is an autoimmune problem that occurs when the immune system attacks the body.
The condition mostly affects people with hyperthyroidism but it can also occur if you have an underactive thyroid. In rare cases, people with normal thyroid levels can get the disease.
What causes TED eye disease?
According to medical experts, they don’t know for sure what causes or triggers TED in some people.
But they believe that with this condition, the body mistakes the tissues around the eyes for a foreign substance and further allows the antibodies to attack those tissues, which then leads to dry eyes, swelling, redness, and other problems.
What are the first signs of thyroid eye disease?
TED eye disease symptoms and signs include:
- irritated eyes
- redness
- watery eyes
- dry eyes
- proptosis (bulging eyes)
- difficulty closing or blinking your eyes
- pain when moving the eyes
- diplopia (double vision)
- vision problems
It is imperative to note that the aforementioned symptoms generally affect both eyes, however, sometimes, they may only occur in one eye. This depends on the severity of the disease.
TED eye disease treatment
Thyroid eye disease treatment can include medications, lifestyle changes, and surgery, depending on the severity of your symptoms.
Over-the-counter medications
Your doctor may prescribe certain eye drops to help ease irritation and dryness of your eyes. Many eye drops are also available without prescription so you can easily buy them over the counter. Make sure to use an eye drop that lubricates the eyes and check the label to use it in the right way.
Prescription drugs
Your healthcare provider may also prescribe some anti-inflammatory medicines for thyroid eye disease. These may include prednisone and other steroids. Make sure to ask your doctor about the side effects of these medications.
Surgery for thyroid eye disease
If your condition doesn’t get better with the aforementioned medication options, your healthcare provider may then recommend different surgeries. Surgical treatments may include the following:
- eye muscle surgery
- eye lid surgery
- orbital decompression surgery
In some cases, doctors may also suggest radiation therapy to ease inflammation and swelling associated with thyroid eye disease.
Home remedies and lifestyle changes
Aside from medical and surgical treatments, several home remedies as well as lifestyle changes can also help alleviate symptoms of thyroid eye disease.
Experts suggest that the most important change you can make to get relief is to quit smoking. This is because smoking increases the risk of developing TED by 8 times and makes the condition much worse. Smoking can also reduce the effectiveness of your treatments and slow down the recovery process.
Other beneficial lifestyle changes you can make to manage thyroid eye disease include:
- wearing good quality sunglasses, especially when you are outdoors
- using ice packs on your eyes
- wearing glasses to reduce and prevent double vision
- using eye patches
- keeping your head slightly elevated when lying down
- keeping your thyroid levels in check by taking medications and getting regular tests
- taking selenium supplements to keep blood level in check
Is TED contagious?
No, this condition is not contagious and you can’t get it from anyone. Also, you can’t spread or transmit it to anyone.
Although the condition is mostly common among people with hypothyroidism, it can affect almost anyone at any age. If you notice symptoms like blurry vision, severe swelling, redness, or watery eyes that don’t go on their own in a few days, consult your doctor immediately to get the condition treated right away.