What is
Thyroid Eye
Disease (TED) ?
About Thyroid Eye
Disease
Thyroid Eye Disease (known as TED) is a rare autoimmune disease in which your body’s own immune system attacks the tissues around your eyes, causing swelling and damage.
Symptoms of TED
Although the symptoms of TED can differ from one person to another, people living with TED may experience:
Pain in or behind your eye
Bulging eyes
Irritation, dryness and discomfort of your eyes and eyelids
Double vision
Difficulty moving
your eyes
Eyelid retraction
When to talk to your doctor
TED is a serious disease that could affect your vision and might get worse if left untreated. Talk to your doctor if you suspect that you have TED. If a diagnosis of TED is confirmed, your doctor may recommend:
- Eye drops or artificial tears: These treatments may help if you are suffering from dry eyes.
- Steroid medications: Your doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid medication such as prednisone to help reduce swelling in the eye.
- Surgery to reduce pressure in the eye, improve bulging eyes, improve eye movement, or your double vision.
- Other newer medications now approved for the treatment of TED.
Misdiagnoses
The symptoms of TED can be caused by a variety of other ophthalmic conditions, including allergic eye disease, dry eye, myositis, and conjunctivitis. Because of this, people living with TED may initially receive an incorrect diagnosis, which can delay the start of appropriate treatment.
