What is Thyroid Eye Disease?
Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune condition, separate from thyroid disease, which affects the tissues in and around the eye socket. Although it is often seen in conjunction with Graves’ Disease (hyperthyroidism), thyroid eye disease can be seen in some patients with low or normal thyroid functioning conditions as well.
What Are the Signs of Thyroid Eye Disease?
- Pain in the eyes
- “Tightness” or pain when looking up, down, or to the side
- Dryness, itching, dry eyes, foreign body sensation
- Difficulty wearing contact lenses
- Inflammation and swelling of the eye, and the surrounding areas of the face
- Swelling in the orbital (eye socket) tissues, which can cause the eyes to be pushed forward giving the appearance of a wide-eyed stare or the eyes bulging
- Bloodshot appearance to eyes
- Double vision
- Blurry vision
