I was told I have graves disease, does anyone have any information on the disease and how to treat the protruding eyes? Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder. It causes your thyroid gland to overproduce thyroid hormones. Graves' disease is treated with medications, radioactive iodine, or surgery.
It's fairly common for your eyes to exhibit mild signs of a condition known as Graves' ophthalmopathy. In Graves' ophthalmopathy, your eyeball bulges out past its protective orbit. This occurs as tissues and muscles behind your eye swell and cause your eyeball to move forward. Because your eye is so far forward, the front surface of your eye can become dry. Cigarette smokers with Graves' disease are more likely to have eye problems.
Graves' ophthalmopathy may cause these mild signs and symptoms:
Excess tearing and sensation of grit or sand in either or both eyes
Reddened or inflamed eyes
Widening of the space between your eyelids
Swelling of the lids and tissues around the eyes
Light sensitivity
Less often, Graves' ophthalmopathy can produce these signs and symptoms:
Ulcers on the cornea
Double vision
Limited eye movements
Blurred or reduced vision
If Graves' disease affects your eyes (Graves' ophthalmopathy), you can manage mild symptoms by using artificial tears liberally during the day and lubricating gels at night. If your symptoms are more severe, your doctor may recommend:
Medications.
Treatment with prescription corticosteroids such as prednisone may diminish swelling behind your eyeball.
Orbital decompression surgery.
In this surgery, your doctor removes the bone between your eye socket (orbit) and your sinuses 鈥?the air spaces next to the orbit. This gives the eyes room to move back to their original position. Possible complications include double vision and lip numbness.
Eye muscle surgery.
The inflammation caused by Graves' disease can affect your eye muscles, making them too short to allow the eyes to align properly. In eye muscle surgery, your doctor cuts the muscle where it attaches to your eyeball and then reattaches it farther back. Sometimes, more than one operation is necessary.
Prisms.
You may have double vision either because of Graves' disease or as a side effect of surgery for Graves' disease. Though they don't work for everyone, prisms in your glasses may correct your double vision.
These steps may make your eyes feel better if you have Graves' ophthalmopathy:
Apply cool compresses to your eyes.
The added moisture may soothe your eyes.
Wear sunglasses.
When your eyes protrude, they're more vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and more sensitive to bright light. Wearing sunglasses that wrap around the sides of your head will lessen the irritation of your eyes from the wind.
Use lubricating eyedrops.
Eyedrops may relieve the dry, scratchy sensation on the surface of your eyes. At night, a paraffin-based gel such as Lacri-Lube can be applied.
Elevate the head of your bed.
Keeping your head higher than the rest of your body lessens fluid accumulation in the head and may relieve the pressure on your eyes.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/graves-...
Your regular doctor should refer to an endocrinologist (gland specialist) for treatment, and the two of you can discuss what steps to take.
For more technical information, see the Wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graves-Base... http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec13/ch163/ch...
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec13/ch163/ch...
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec20/ch236/ch...
Here is some literature on Graves Disease for you. The 3rd link discusses the buldging eyes, But do take a read of all the links to better educate yourself on the disease. |
