THYROID EYE DISEASE
It is an autoimmune disorder that most commonly occurs as a part of Graves' disease which is why it's also usually known as Graves' ophthalmopathy. Less commonly it can occur in people who have or have had hyperthyroidism or in individuals with hypothyroidism such as people who have Hashimoto thyroiditis. It is more common in those who smoke cigarettes. In this disease, there is marked swelling and inflammation of the tissue surrounding the eye especially the extraocular muscles, connective and fatty tissue. The eye is displaced forwards and bulging, lid gets retracted and in more advanced cases, the optic nerve gets compressed. The symptoms are different for each patient and range from mild to severe. These include redness of eye, 'gritty' sensation in the eye, excessive lacrimation, dry eyes, pain in the eye, eye socket disfigurement, diplopia and even reduced visual acuity. Apart from all this some patients may experience permanent cosmetic disfigurement which affects their emotional and social well-being too.