Suffering from TED

[LordRock]

Hi , i was diagnosed with hyperthyroid 10 years ago and i was given thyroxine to treat the problem the thyroid level stabilized and with time my eyes started to get better but unfortunately both eyes are still bulging , my right eye is the one that bothers me the most more noticeable when i wake up with red eyelids i checked on few materials online if there is a possible solution for my problem a medication or way to treat it to restore the original appearance of my eyes but i was surprised that till this day there is no good solution other than surgery that is way too risky and complicated or other methods that deal a little bit with the symptoms but not an actual cure or permanent changes ( some use green tea bags or honey drops in their eyes) , so i am sitting here wondering if there is any medication or some sort of treatment that can get rid of this problem

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Much (but not all) of the redness and irritation is due to the eye being pushed forward and the lids not blinking properly. If orbital decompression helps the eye moves back the lids drop down and the eye is much more comfortable. However some of the irritation and redness is due to the disease itself and may not respond and lubricants and sometimes steroids may be necessary.


JCH MD

[LordRock]

Is the surgery going to cure the other symptoms as well such as irritation and the swollen that comes and goes ( my right eye lower eyelid is red and has been that way for almost a month ) and what i am confused about is since the pressure comes from behind the eye what causes the eyelid irritation and swollen or does that require a different treatment to cure that problems , thank you again for your help

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

When more than one treatment/surgery exists it generally means that one size fits all doesn't work. Your surgeon will chose the best procedure for you.  Most procedures involve removing the thin bones of the maxillary or the ethmoid/sphenoid sinus and letting the fat herniate into the sinus.

JCH MD

[LordRock]

Thank you  , from what i already read about TED the surgery has two types , bones removal and fat removal do both surgeries have the same risk level ratio and which one is considered better and does the surgery deal with the irritation and light sensitivity as well

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No if your thyroid levels are normal then surgery is the only way to restor normal lid position. IF you change your mind see an Eye MD that specializes in oculoplastic surgery. In the USA find one near you at www.aao.org

JCH MD