Exploring The Impact Of Thyroid Eye Disease On Quality Of Life

Thyroid eye disease (TED), a chronic autoimmune disease can cause swelling of the eyes and impaired visual functions. Though it is a rare disease, it can significantly impact the quality of life in the affected individuals. Living with thyroid eye disease could affect one’s physical, mental, and social well-being. Let us read further and explore more about the impact of thyroid eye disease on quality of life.

Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune disease or eye disorder that is caused by the activation of orbital fibroblasts by autoantibodies directed against thyroid receptors. This eye disorder can cause inflammation or swelling and damage to the tissues around the eye, which include muscles, fatty tissues, and connective tissue.

Thyroid eye disease has two phases; the active or inflammatory phase and the stable phase. The active or inflammatory phase lasts for months up to three years, and the stable phase follows when the active phase stops.

People with thyroid eye disease (TED) experience symptoms like dry eyes, watery eyes, red eyes, irritated eyes, bulging or swelling of the eyes (proptosis), double vision (Diplopia), vision problems, pain behind the eyes and also pain with eye movement, difficulty closing eyes completely leading to the ulcer (sore) on the cornea. Symptoms of Thyroid eye disease usually affect both eyes. However, sometimes you might notice the symptoms only in one eye.

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a rare condition, and a study has confirmed that it had an incidence rate of approximately 19 in 100, 000 individuals per year.⁽¹⁾

Thyroid eye disease is prevalent mainly in women when compared with men. Women are affected five times more than men, and this has been associated with a higher incidence of Grave’s disease in women. Patients who are diagnosed with the condition who are above 50 years have a worse prognosis.⁽¹⁾

Individuals with Graves’ disease seem to be at higher risk for developing Thyroid eye disease. It has been estimated that up to 50% of individuals with Graves’ disease also have symptoms that are linked with thyroid eye disease.⁽²⁾ Thyroid eye disease is, however, also sometimes seen in individuals with no other evidence of thyroid dysfunction.

Living with thyroid eye disease affects one’s physical, mental, and also social well-being. The eyes and face are the most significant point of contact between you and other people. So, when there is a defect in the eye, it actually affects the quality of life.

Thyroid eye disease seriously impacts patients’ quality of life. Patients with Thyroid eye disease have reported impairment of vision and appearance that has also impacted their psychosocial well-being, especially after acute thyroid eye disease has subsided.⁽³⁾

Particularly, patients’ ability to work^{(4, 5)} perform their daily tasks^{(6, 7)} and maintain social relationships^{(7, 8)} have been shown to suffer significantly, along with their mental health.^{(9, 10)}

In about 4-8% of cases, thyroid eye disease (TED) can be extremely severe and result in complications including loss of vision.⁽¹¹⁾ This vision loss surely impacts the patient’s quality of life, and the way they see the world and perform their regular tasks.

Moreover, in a very small percentage of people with thyroid eye disease, doctors might recommend orbital decompression surgery. This procedure can improve the patient’s vision, however, it comes with a risk of double vision.

Thyroid eye disease can also impact the patient’s mental, social, and psychological well-being. They might experience anxiety, mood swings, or irritability if they have fluctuating levels of thyroid hormones. These symptoms would persist until their thyroid hormone levels are stabilized. Moreover, people with Thyroid eye disease would also experience anger and a decline in their self-confidence because of the change in the appearance of their eyes.

Living with thyroid eye disease (TED) could be hard. However, your quality of life and how you cope with the condition matter a lot. Your specialist doctor will want to know how the condition impacts various aspects of your life, including physical, mental, and social well-being.

Based on how thyroid eye disease impacts your quality of life, your Thyroid eye disease specialist can classify the severity of your symptoms and can prepare a treatment plan accordingly. Your Thyroid eye disease specialist will look at managing the serious impacts of thyroid eye disease while preserving or rather, improving your quality of life.

The symptoms of thyroid eye disease can be improved with Thyroid eye disease treatment or specialized surgeries. Though it could be hard for you to cope with, you should come up for the treatment and contact your doctor for more information about the various treatment options available for you. This would help you get rid of the condition and also improve the quality of your life.

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Also Read:

• What are the Symptoms of Thyroid Eye Disease?