Northeast Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons

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thyroid eye disease

Thyroid-Disease

Thyroid Eye Disease
services offered in
Fairfield, CT

At least a million Americans receive a thyroid eye disease diagnosis every year. At Northeast Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, knowledgeable ophthalmologist Larissa Habib, MD, is a skilled diagnostician who can explain the best treatment options for your thyroid eye disease.

Thyroid eye disease can cause a variety of issues with your eyes, including:

Symptom severity can vary from one person to another, and the symptoms of thyroid eye disease may ebb and flow over time.
Thyroid eye disease is very manageable with the support of an expert ophthalmologist like Dr. Habib. To learn more about thyroid eye disease, call the Northeast Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons office (tel:203-424-0228) or click on the provided scheduling link.

thyroid disease Q & A

What is Graves' disease?

Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease that commonly causes hyperthyroidism. With hyperthyroidism, your body produces excessive thyroid hormone, and this can cause several health issues, including heart problems, brittle bones, and eye issues. When Graves’ disease affects the eyes, it’s called thyroid eye disease.

How is thyroid eye disease treated?

At Northeast Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Dr. Habib thoroughly evaluates both your eyesight and problems within the tissues surrounding your eyes. After she determines exactly how thyroid eye disease affects your vision and eye health, Dr. Habib prescribes an individualized treatment.
Some of the different treatments you may need to manage thyroid eye disease symptoms include artificial tears for dry eyes, corticosteroids for eye swelling, and special prescription glasses lenses (prisms) to minimize double vision.
Dr. Habib may also recommend lifestyle changes, for example wearing sunglasses to manage light sensitivity. Quitting smoking can help reduce the severity of your symptoms as well.
Dr. Habib may prescribe Tepezza®, the only FDA-approved medication for thyroid eye disease. The medication, which you receive through an intravenous (IV) infusion, can relieve the issues that thyroid eye disease causes. It may also help you avoid surgery.
In some cases, for example, if you have severe eyelid retraction or very prominent bulging eyes, you may need eye surgery to repair and reposition your eye tissues. If you have scar tissue buildup or severe muscle swelling, you may need decompression surgery to prevent double vision or vision loss. Surgery can greatly improve both your cosmetic appearance and eye function.
In addition to managing your eye problems, it’s important to manage your hyperthyroidism in general. That may involve thyroid- blocking medications and partial or total thyroid gland removal.
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