Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune condition, usually associated with Graves’ disease and less often with hypothyroidism and euthyroidism. Patients with thyroid eye disease typically experience proptosis, eyelid retraction, and inflammation around the eyes and thus corneal exposure, eye irritation and/or pain, redness, blurry vision, double vision, or tearing. Only about 5 % of patients with Graves’ disease develop thyroid eye disease that is severe enough to require medical attention. For those severe cases, the surgeon will generally recommend medical treatment first and then surgical treatment. Medical treatment may be as conservative as lubrication of the cornea or intense as IV steroid or steroid-sparing anti-inflammatory agent. Surgery ranges from orbital decompression, muscle realignment, or retraction repair. In rare instances, emergent surgery orbital decompression is necessary to save vision from compression of the optic nerve or corneal erosion and thinning.
Most patients with thyroid eye disease require multiple surgeries before restoring comfort and appearance. This all depends on the severity of the disease. Of the risk factors related to thyroid eye disease, smoking is a strong and important factor that can be mitigated.
