How to Fix Graves' Disease in Eyes

Graves' disease is an auto-immune disease. This means that the body's white blood cells begin to attack normal, healthy tissue within the body. Graves' disease typically affects the thyroid, as the immune system attacks the thyroid and thus reduces levels of thyroid hormone. In some patients, however, the auto-immune condition also leads to immune cells attacking the muscle and fat behind the eyes, which can lead to specific eye symptoms.

Things You'll Need

• NSAIDs, such as Advil
• Prednisone

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Instructions

• 1

  For eye inflammation, the most common method of treatment is anti-inflammatory medication. Graves-related eye inflammation can result in eye pain, redness, and increased pressure behind the eyes. For mild cases, treatment with NSAIDs such as Advil will alleviate the symptoms, though more severe cases require taking oral prednisone, which can be obtained with a prescription.

• 2

  Another symptoms of Graves' disease in the eyes is the eyelids being too open. This can prevent blinking and lubrication of the eyes, leading to irritation and dryness. Initially, this should be treated with lubricating eye drops, though eventually surgery may be required to help restore the eyelids to their proper position.

• 3

  Graves' disease can also cause swelling of the muscles around the eye, which can prevent the muscles from moving properly. This can lead to double vision, which needs to be treated with special corrective lenses. If these prove to be insufficient, surgery can help reduce the inflammation and allow the muscles to move more freely.

• 4

  When too much swelling occurs behind the eyes, the eye can be pushed forward, which can cause damage to the optic nerve. This decreased vision should be initially treated with oral prednisone, a potent anti-inflammatory steroid.

• 5

  If the vision loss does not improve with prednisone, surgery may be required to help reduce the pressure behind the eye. This surgery works to help drain away some of the excess fluid behind the eye, allowing the pressure to return to normal, which decreases compression of the optic nerve.