Eye conditions
Thyroid eye disease (TED)
Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune thyroid disease associated with conditions such as Graves’ hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.
What is thyroid eye disease (TED)?
Thyroid eye disease affects the soft tissues surrounding the eye. The overactive immune system causes inflammation and swelling of fat and eye muscles.
As inflammation subsides, soft tissues around the eye may become damaged. The disease process often leads to protruding eyes, eyelid puffiness, stiffness of eye movement and double vision.
Learn about our thyroid eye disease research
Our researchers are among the world’s top scientists investigating the causes of thyroid eye disease and how it can be better treated.
Thyroid eye disease affects the soft tissues surrounding the eye. The overactive immune system causes inflammation and swelling of fat and eye muscles.
As inflammation subsides, soft tissues around the eye may become damaged. The disease process often leads to protruding eyes, eyelid puffiness, stiffness of eye movement and double vision.
Learn about our thyroid eye disease research
Our researchers are among the world’s top scientists investigating the causes of thyroid eye disease and how it can be better treated.
How common is it?
Thyroid eye disease (TED) is considered an uncommon disease. It is estimated that 23,000 Australians have TED at any given time, with around 432 new cases developing moderate to severe TED each year.
TED affects one-in-four patients with autoimmune thyroid disease – in conditions such as Graves’ hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.
Thyroid eye disease (TED) is considered an uncommon disease. It is estimated that 23,000 Australians have TED at any given time, with around 432 new cases developing moderate to severe TED each year.
TED affects one-in-four patients with autoimmune thyroid disease – in conditions such as Graves’ hyperthyroidism and Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism.
Causes and risk factors
TED mostly affects women, with eighty per cent of cases being female. However, older males affected by TED may experience more severe symptoms.
Smoking is a major risk factor. Smokers and ex-smokers are twice as likely to develop TED. They are also more resistant to medical treatment.
Having too much of a certain immune protein linked to the thyroid may also indicate an increased risk of developing more severe TED.
TED mostly affects women, with eighty per cent of cases being female. However, older males affected by TED may experience more severe symptoms.
Smoking is a major risk factor. Smokers and ex-smokers are twice as likely to develop TED. They are also more resistant to medical treatment.
Having too much of a certain immune protein linked to the thyroid may also indicate an increased risk of developing more severe TED.
Signs and symptoms
TED usually progresses over months and may first appear as eyelid swelling and red, watery eyes. It is often confused with hay fever eye symptoms.
TED leads to protruding eyes (proptosis) and retracted eyelids, which can make people look like they’re staring. These common symptoms often prompt doctors to test thyroid function. People with this condition may also experience blurred vision, double vision and find it hard to read or drive.
TED often affects both eyes at the same time, while others may experience eye changes and symptoms mostly on one side.
TED usually progresses over months and may first appear as eyelid swelling and red, watery eyes. It is often confused with hay fever eye symptoms.
TED leads to protruding eyes (proptosis) and retracted eyelids, which can make people look like they’re staring. These common symptoms often prompt doctors to test thyroid function. People with this condition may also experience blurred vision, double vision and find it hard to read or drive.
TED often affects both eyes at the same time, while others may experience eye changes and symptoms mostly on one side.
Diagnosis
Your doctor may refer you for a blood test and/or a radiology study to confirm the diagnosis.
Your doctor may refer you for a blood test and/or a radiology study to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment
As researchers learn more about how TED develops, more treatment options have become available. These include immune therapy, steroids to reduce swelling and targeted radiation to control inflammation around the eyes.
Some TED patients may have persistent eye changes at the end of medical treatment and require surgeries.
As researchers learn more about how TED develops, more treatment options have become available. These include immune therapy, steroids to reduce swelling and targeted radiation to control inflammation around the eyes.
Some TED patients may have persistent eye changes at the end of medical treatment and require surgeries.
Can it be prevented?
You could help prevent progression of TED by quitting smoking and by working with your doctor to control thyroid function while on medications.
Correction of Vitamin D deficiency, high cholesterol level and taking selenium supplementation (subject to medical advice) may help with TED control.
Consider reviewing your dietary intake to reduce inflammation.
You could help prevent progression of TED by quitting smoking and by working with your doctor to control thyroid function while on medications.
Correction of Vitamin D deficiency, high cholesterol level and taking selenium supplementation (subject to medical advice) may help with TED control.
Consider reviewing your dietary intake to reduce inflammation.
Our thyroid eye disease research
CERA researchers are global leaders in TED research. We work together with researchers from other countries to develop better treatments to hopefully reduce the severity of TED and the need for corrective surgery in the future.
Some of our research areas include:
- Discovering disease pathways for which new treatment could be developed
- How smoking triggers TED and whether antioxidants could support TED treatment
- The development of better medications through pre-clinical and clinical trials.
Learn more about our thyroid eye disease research
CERA researchers are global leaders in TED research. We work together with researchers from other countries to develop better treatments to hopefully reduce the severity of TED and the need for corrective surgery in the future.
Some of our research areas include:
- Discovering disease pathways for which new treatment could be developed
- How smoking triggers TED and whether antioxidants could support TED treatment
- The development of better medications through pre-clinical and clinical trials.