How To Ease Symptoms Of Thyroid Eye Disease

Thyroid disease is caused by thyroid hormone imbalance from either an overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism) thyroid gland, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It is an autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system starts attacking the thyroid gland tissue. Thyroid eye disease (TED) is caused by a thyroid hormone imbalance, leading to painful bulging, redness, dryness, or wetness in the eyes, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. You may also experience grainy or double vision, which can make activities such as driving dangerous.

TED goes by many other names as well, including Graves' ophthalmology and Graves' eye disease. A 2014 study published in Eye and Vision stated that every 16 women and 2.9 men in 100,000 experience Graves' eye disease symptoms, indicating that it is more common in the female population. Additionally, it is among the first prominent signs of thyroid disorder and perhaps the main reason why most people are prompted to go for a thyroid check-up. Upon thorough examination, doctors can recommend the best medication to treat TED, along with some useful therapies to find quick relief.

According to MedicineNet, depending on whether you have been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, your doctor may suggest medicines to either prevent excess production or increase thyroid hormone in the body. These drugs ease inflammation and painful swelling in the eyes. At times, surgery may be necessary to get rid of the bulging look and improve double vision. However, this ophthalmology surgery is usually performed after 2-3 years when the active TED phase has moved into remission.

In the meantime, you can ease the symptoms at home by elevating your head while lying in bed to reduce pressure on the eyes (via WebMD). It's also important to prevent the eyes from drying out when doing routine tasks that often lead to irritation, such as using electronic screens for work. For this purpose, you may want to use eye drops that provide lubrication. Additionally, since it may be difficult to fully close your eyes while sleeping because of the swelling, wearing an eye mask can be helpful for preventing dryness.