types of thyroid eye disease, how to reduce swelling from thyroid eye disease, how long does thyroid eye disease last

Visible, Prominent, Protruding-out Eye-ball / Eye - balls, sometimes to the extent of POP Eyes, out of the bony Eye-socket, showing more white above & below the black Cornea, spoiling the face and putting the Eyes to high risk from Infections & Injuries, including Vision-loss. Usually seen Bilateral /or becomes Bilateral ( sometimes after many years ), but can be Unilateral. Eye changes are due to TED inflammations affecting Eye-lids and soft tissues inside the bony Eye socket; and, in some cases, outside the Eye - socket i. e. below the Eyes.

Occurs/ seen in Auto-immune Thyroid disorders. TED is an Auto - immune Inflammatory disease.

Out of Total Number of TED patients:

     1. 80% are from Hyper-functioning Thyroid (Graves Disease).

     2. 15% are from Hypo-functioning Thyroid (Hashimoto's Disease).

     3. 5% are from unclassified group, having Normal-functioning Thyroid.

In TED, the body's own Defence Immune system goes weak / awry, and this leads to antibody formation-----which causes Inflammations of Orbital contents-------- usually of Extra-ocular muscles, Orbital fat and of Eye-lid muscles. Hence, the disease mostly lies in between the BALL & BONE. The inside portion of Eye-balls itself is not affected in TED.

TED cases prefer humidified air; Hot air and Wind cause problems.

A. TYPES:

(Eye signs include------Prominent, Protruding-out Eyes; Dry Eyes; Red Eyes; Itchy Eyes; Swollen Eyes
and Swollen or Pigmented Lids;------- oftenly associated with grittiness and photophobia).

  1. Eye - lid Spasm------

       Slowly turning into persistent Eye - lid retraction.
       STARE is seen in such cases, which varies with Mood & Alertness.

  2. Mild TED:
     (Mild Eye signs)     ( Proptosis 21-23 mm )

       Mild pain or pressure behind the Eyes, and / OR visible swelling below the Eyes.
       Oftenly STARE is present, which varies with Mood & Alertness.

  3. Moderate TED:
     (Moderate Eye signs)

       Defective visual fields and damage to vision, including Colour vision.
       Double vision present, which can be Horizontal / Vertical / Mixed.

  4. Severe TED:
      (Severe Eye signs)    ( Proptosis over 28 mm )

       Alarming form of the disease, putting imminent threat to vision.
       Double vision present, which can be Horizontal / Vertical / Mixed.

  5. Progressive TED:

       Causing progressive damage to Eyes;   ending in permanent Eye disability.
       Seen in Graves Disease.

B. PHASES: (Active; Reduced - activity; Inactive)

  1. Active: ( Wet phase)

       Inflammatory phase, lasting from some months to as long as 3-years, and having
       changing Eye signs.

2. Reduced - activity:

Inflammatory process slows down.

  3.Inactive: (Dry phase)

       Disease settles down.
       Slowly and Slowly, this Inactive phase turns into FIBROSIS.

C. MAIN FEATURES OF TED:

1. Vision Loss:

Due to pressure on Optic nerve or from Corneal ulcers / Corneal damage.

2. Disfigured Appearance:

Due to Protruding-out Eye - balls; may end up with POPPY EYES.

3. Double Vision;

Due to Extra-ocular muscles involvement. Can be Vertical / Horizontal / Mixed.

4. Has Main 5-D Symptoms:

Disfigurement; Dry Eyes; Double vision; Despair; Dreaded vision-loss.

D. COURSE:

Unpredictable, with somewhat / total recovery only in those LABELLED AS LUCKY ONES.

E. DETECTION OF TED:

  1.   Forced Eye balls Rolling-up Test ---------

           Ask the person to look towards his Scalp Hairs; will be unable to raise affected Eye - ball.

  2.   Antibody Test ------

           Presence of Thyroid auto- Antibodies in blood decides & confirms TED.

F. HALLMARKS OF TED:

   * Found mostly in Females --- starts mostly during first trimester of
      pregnancy, OR in 6-months after delivery.
      Becoming common in Males also.
      Usually seen in 3rd and 4th decades of life.

* Not Hereditary.

* Iodine Supplements NOT ADVISED.

* Stress and Smoking cause it / or enhance it........... NOT ALCOHOL.
(usually fright, grief, shock, depressive ailments).

* Mood Changes and Alertness aggravate TED

  * NO TEST CAN TELL ---- WHO---- WILL GET IT, ----WHEN----, AND
       OF ----WHAT---- SEVERITY.

        AND CURING THE THYROID DOES NOT CURE TED.

G. A CUNNING DISEASE:

   1.   A very notorious disease. In Graves Disease, it can come --------BEFORE--------
         ( say 1-2 years or more), OR -------DURING------, OR AFTER Thyroid disorder
         ( seen even after 15-20 years or more).


   2.   Clinical course of TED and Thyroid disorder does not go hand in hand.

   3. TED deteriorates following treatment for Hyper - thyroidism : --------
                   * with medical treatment leading to Hypo - thyroidism.
                   * with Radio-active- Iodine.

   4. TED develops more frequently following Radio-active- Iodine treatment for over - active Thyroid.

   5. Usually, no relationship between TED severity & Thyroid   over-activity.

6. A small number of cases of TED get VISION LOSS.

H. ADVICE:

   1. Must Always Maintain Normal Thyroid Status,
        and normal metabolism of your body.

                     ( by any available means )

       Check TSH level:

       * Keep it supressed in Graves Disease. Patient should not become Hypo-thyroid.
       * In Hypo-functioning and Normal functioning Thyroid, maintain its normal value.

   2. In TED and Thyroid Disorders:

      Take IODINE only from NATURAL SOURCES which are:

                                                  Banana; Turmeric; Sea foods;

                                                  Green Vegetables; Water Nuts; Pineapple

                                                  Tube and Stem of Lotus; Garlic;

                                                   Sesame Seeds

&

FOLLOW THE RULES OF NATURE.