The thyroid is a gland that is located in the neck and is responsible for the production of the thyroid hormones T3 and T4, which are very important for the body. The most common alterations are hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
Hyperthyroidism occurs when the gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This condition is closely related to eye health, do you want to know why? Find out below at Área Oftalmológica Avanzada.
What is the thyroid in the eyes?
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing hormones that help control important functions in the body, such as the metabolism of food and body temperature.
When there are thyroid disorders, either because there is little or excessive hormone production, different parts of the body can be affected. The ocular structure is one of them.
Have you heard of bulging eyes, Graves-Based disease or thyroid ophthalmopathy? Well, these are alterations that are related to the thyroid and affect the ocular structure. Let's meet them.
hyperthyroidism in the eyes
Hyperthyroidism, also known as Graves-Basedow disease, occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This condition has its origin in the immune system and affects more women than men.
Graves-Based disease usually affects people in the following ways:
- Nervousness without apparent cause.
- Fast heartbeat.
- Increased body sweating.
- Weightloss.
- Irregular menstrual periods.
- Frequent evacuations.
Thyroid ophthalmopathy
La thyroid ophthalmopathy, also called thyroid orbitopathy, is one of the consequences of Graves-Basedow disease. This inflammatory-type alteration affects 20% of patients with hyperthyroidism and causes changes in the soft tissues of the eye orbit.
Let us remember that the eye orbit is the cavity where the eyeball and all the parts that surround it are housed. In most cases, thyroid orbitopathy is bilateral, meaning that it affects both eyes at the same time.
Eye thyroid symptoms
Eye thyroid can cause the following symptoms:
- In the early stages, you can see ocular dryness and redness.
- exophthalmos u bulging eyes.
- diplopia or double vision of the images.
- inflammation and eyelid retraction.
Transmission
Thyroid orbitopathy is a condition that can be treated in different ways depending on the stage it is in and the eye damage. Among the treatment alternatives, we find:
- use of sunglasses, artificial tears and moisturizing gels.
- Radiotherapy and use of corticosteroid medications.
- Treatment under the medication teprotumumab.
Surgery
There are two surgical options to treat thyroid in the eyes depending on the patient's needs:
- The corrective surgery Eyelids helps replenish the tissue in its natural position, removing excess skin and improving the aesthetic appearance.
- La orbital decompression surgery It is carried out to get more space in the orbital cavity and reposition the eyeball in a better position.
Prevention of thyroid in the eyes
There is currently no way to prevent bulging eye disease. Graves-Basedow disease is an autoimmune disease whose exact cause is unknown. It is difficult to predict whether a patient with hyperthyroidism operated on for thyroid orbitopathy will develop an alteration again.
En Área Oftalmológica Avanzada, we are specialists in the diagnosis of diseases and pathologies related to the thyroid in the eyes. Do not hesitate to visit us and we will treat you in the best way. You will be in the hands of the best experts!
