Is thyroid eye disease the same as Graves disease?

Thyroid eye disease most commonly occurs as part of Graves' disease, which is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid and often the skin and eyes. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck.

What is the difference between Graves disease and thyroid eye disease?

TED and Graves' disease are both autoimmune disorders. That means your body's immune system attacks your own tissue by mistake. In Graves' disease, your thyroid is affected. When you have Thyroid Eye Disease, it affects the muscle and fat behind your eyes.

Is Graves disease and hypothyroidism the same?

When the body makes too much thyroid hormone, the condition is called hyperthyroidism. (An underactive thyroid leads to hypothyroidism.) Graves disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. It is due to an abnormal immune system response that causes the thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone.

What triggers thyroid eye disease?

It occurs when the body's immune system attacks the tissue surrounding the eye causing inflammation in the tissues around and behind the eye. In most patients, the same autoimmune condition that causes TED also affects the thyroid gland, resulting in Graves' disease.

Can you have thyroid eye disease without hyperthyroidism?

Half of all people with Graves' disease and just 40% of individuals with a diagnosis of TED recognize that this related condition can occur even among those who do not even have hyperthyroidism, as thyroid eye disease may arise in someone with hypothyroidism or even euthyroid (a normal thyroid status).

Danielle’s Story Living with Graves' and Thyroid Eye Disease

Does Graves disease cause thyroid eye disease?

Thyroid eye disease most commonly occurs as part of Graves' disease, which is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid and often the skin and eyes. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck.

Is thyroid eye disease an autoimmune disease?

Thyroid Eye Disease is an autoimmune disorder

The inflammation and scar tissue that forms can cause many changes to your eyes, like: Eye bulging––also called “proptosis” (prop-toe-sis) or “exophthalmos” (ek-sof-thal-muhs) Misaligned eyes or eyes that don't work together––also called “strabismus” (strah-biz-muss)

What are the first signs of thyroid eye disease?

Early symptoms of thyroid eye disease are itching, watering or dry eyes and a feeling of grittiness of the eyes. Some people may notice a swelling around the eyelids and sometimes the front of the eye becomes swollen.

What are the stages of thyroid eye disease?

There are two phases. The active phase, marked by inflammation, usually lasts from six months to two years. The focus during this stage is on medical treatment to relieve the eye symptoms. During the second phase, or the stable phase, inflammation and other symptoms have subsided.

How quickly does thyroid eye disease progress?

Eye problems will usually occur and frequently change in type or severity for between six months and two years. Once stabilized, it is unusual for the eyes to start changing again. Some patients are left with permanent changes, and in others the eyes return to normal.

What other autoimmune diseases are associated with Graves disease?

Graves disease is associated with pernicious anemia, vitiligo, diabetes mellitus type 1, autoimmune adrenal insufficiency, systemic sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Sjögren syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Can you go from hypothyroidism to Graves disease?

Occurrence of Graves' disease after primary hypothyroidism is uncommon but possible. In this case, there was a time-lapse of almost 28 years and therefore this entity may not be as rare as previously thought. Diagnosis requires careful clinical and biochemical assessment.

Which is worse hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism?

Both can lead to death in the most severe cases. However, hypothyroidism is 5 times more common than hyperthyroidism. In severe cases, hypothyroidism can lead to heart disease and myxedema coma, both of which can lead to death.

Is thyroid eye disease considered a disability?

There are a variety of thyroid gland disorders than can negatively impact your life, two of which are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. If you have been diagnosed with a thyroid gland disorder, you may qualify for social security disability benefits if your condition is severe enough.

Does Graves eye disease go away?

Graves' eye disease is often mild and may go away on its own. It doesn't usually cause vision loss, but it may cause double vision and other symptoms. Treatments can help with these symptoms.

Is Graves eye disease a disability?

Graves' disease is not included as a separate disability listing, but it might cause other impairments that are covered by disability listings. If you have signs of arrhythmia (an irregular heart beat), you may qualify for a disability under Listing 4.05, Recurrent Arrhythmias.

What happens if thyroid eye disease goes untreated?

Thyroid eye disease in its active phase can last between one and three years. That means if it is left untreated, the inflammation may gradually decrease by itself but may cause damage to vision through the course of the disease.

What does Graves eye disease feel like?

Symptoms of Graves' eye disease include: Feeling of irritation or grittiness in the eyes, redness or inflammation of the conjunctiva (the white part of the eyeball), excessive tearing or dry eyes, swelling of the eyelids, sensitivity to light, forward displacement or bulging of the eyes (called proptosis), and double ...

Is thyroid eye disease an emergency?

The acute progression of the disease is an ocular emergency, particularly optic nerve compression and corneal disease secondary to exposure. Most patients with TED have biochemical evidence of hyperthyroidism with the most common cause being Graves' disease.

Which signs are typical of Graves disease?

Can you still have Graves disease without a thyroid?

Some patients with apparent Graves' disease do not have an autoimmune thyroid disorder. One of the most common causes of hyperthyroidism is Graves' disease, an autoimmune process in which the patient's immune cells make antibodies against the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor on the thyroid gland cells.

Do you always have Graves disease?

Graves' disease is a lifelong condition. However, treatments can keep the thyroid gland in check. Medical care may even make the disease temporarily go away (remission): Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers, such as propranolol and metoprolol, are often the first line of treatment.

Does Graves disease affect your eyes?

Eye problems, known as thyroid eye disease or Graves' ophthalmopathy, affect around 1 in 3 people with an overactive thyroid caused by Graves' disease. Problems can include: eyes feeling dry and gritty. sensitivity to light.

Are Graves and Hashimoto's the same?

Like Hashimoto's disease, Graves' is also an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid. The difference between the two is the type of antibodies your immune system attacks the thyroid with and how the attack impacts the thyroid. Hashimoto's disease causes hypothyroidism, whereas Graves' disease causes hyperthyroidism.