Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation around the eye. Symptoms can include discomfort, redness, pain, changes in appearance, double vision, blurred vision, protruding eyes and, in severe cases, vision loss.

Even with medical and surgical treatments, some thyroid patients may still have double vision, which impacts their ability to work or drive. Some also continue to experience changes in the appearance of their eyes, which can significantly impact their social and emotional wellbeing.

Your gift to CERA has been instrumental in funding new research that may change the future outcomes for people with thyroid eye disease.

Led by oculoplastic eye surgeon Dr Jwu Jin Khong, the project will explore how thyroid eye disease impacts gene expression in different muscles and parts of the eye socket.

An unusual but constant feature of thyroid eye disease is that a muscle on the outer side of the eye is relatively spared from inflammation. This is the muscle responsible for moving the eye sideways. However, other muscles – that help you look downwards and towards your nose – are typically more enlarged.

Dr Khong wants to determine if the differences between gene expressions in the inner and outer areas of the eye socket are why some eye muscles are enlarged while others are hardly affected.

“The reason that thyroid eye disease presents in this way has never been studied before,’’ says Dr Khong. “We hope this research can identify fresh avenues of investigation that may lead to new treatments for this disease and improved quality of life for patients.

“I am incredibly thankful for the support of CERA donors who have made this research possible.”

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