Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEmotionalPhysicalSocialPracticalNext in Thyroid Eye Disease GuideWhat Is Thyroid Eye Disease?
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Emotional
Physical
Social
Practical
Next in Thyroid Eye Disease Guide
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What Is Thyroid Eye Disease?
It is normal to feel a variety of emotions after receiving a diagnosis of thyroid eye disease. Since this condition can affect the appearance of your eyes and physical health, you may also experience changes in emotional well-being.
Depression and Thyroid Eye DiseaseDepression is common with thyroid eye disease. In fact, a recent study showed that 36% of people with thyroid eye disease reported symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Depression and Thyroid Eye Disease
Depression is common with thyroid eye disease. In fact, a recent study showed that 36% of people with thyroid eye disease reported symptoms of anxiety and depression.
You may also feel:
If your feelings are having a negative impact on the quality of your life, talk to your healthcare provider. There are treatments for depression that can help, such as medications and therapy.
Certain lifestyle changes can help you manage thyroid eye disease and feel better. Before making any drastic modifications, talk to your healthcare provider and ask for recommendations.
Diet
Eating a balanced and healthy diet is important for your overall health. However, thyroid eye disease and Graves’ disease may require you to make some changes. For example, you may need to avoid foods with large amounts of iodine because they can make thesymptoms of hyperthyroidismworse.
Iodine-rich foods and products include:
Exercise
Although exercise cannot relieve specific symptoms of thyroid eye disease, it has other benefits like improving your mood and giving you more energy.
Staying active can increase your flexibility, strength, and mobility. In addition, Graves' disease can cause brittle bones, so doing weight-bearing exercises is important for your bone density.
Managing Your WeightExercise can help you manage your weight after you start treatment, which may make you gain weight. And since Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism affect your metabolism, weight management is an important part of treatment.
Managing Your Weight
Exercise can help you manage your weight after you start treatment, which may make you gain weight. And since Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism affect your metabolism, weight management is an important part of treatment.
Stress Relief
Finding activities for stress relief that fit your lifestyle and goals is part of living with thyroid eye disease. Stress can make you feel worse and make it more difficult to cope with this condition.
Stress-relieving activities include:
Avoid Smoking
Smoking is linked to worse symptoms of thyroid eye disease.
If you smoke, ask your healthcare provider for help quitting or look for resources online. Quitting smoking is also important for your overall health. There are many methods to help you quit, such as medications or counseling.
Glasses and Sunglasses
Since thyroid eye disease can make you sensitive to light, consider wearing sunglasses. You can obtain prescription sunglasses from an eye doctor.
Glasses With Prisms
Use Eye Drops
Thyroid eye disease can make your eyes dry, irritated, and red. Using eye drops and artificial tears can relieve some of these symptoms.
Thicker lubricating ointments for the eyes may also help. Ask your healthcare provider for eye drop recommendations.
Eye Drops to AvoidIn general, you want to avoid eye drops with redness removers or preservatives that may cause irritation or inflammation.
Eye Drops to Avoid
In general, you want to avoid eye drops with redness removers or preservatives that may cause irritation or inflammation.
Consider joining social support groups for people who have thyroid eye disease. Being around others who have the same condition can help you learn new coping strategies. It can also help you feel less alone or isolated.
Ask your healthcare provider about:
Putting together the right health team to help you manage thyroid eye disease is a crucial part of living with the condition. Most people with thyroid eye disease need to see specialists in addition to their primary care doctor. You may end up with a large team that includes a:
It is important that all the members of your health team have experience treating thyroid eye disease. You should feel comfortable getting a second opinion or finding new healthcare providers if you feel that you are not getting the best care possible.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Thyroid Association.Graves’ eye disease.Wang Y, Sharma A, Padnick-Silver L, et al.Physician-perceived impact of thyroid eye disease on patient quality of life in the United States.Ophthalmol Ther. 2021;10(1):75-87. doi:10.1007/s40123-020-00318-xNational Institutes of Health: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Graves' disease.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Thyroid eye disease.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is Graves’ disease?
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Thyroid Association.Graves’ eye disease.Wang Y, Sharma A, Padnick-Silver L, et al.Physician-perceived impact of thyroid eye disease on patient quality of life in the United States.Ophthalmol Ther. 2021;10(1):75-87. doi:10.1007/s40123-020-00318-xNational Institutes of Health: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Graves' disease.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Thyroid eye disease.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is Graves’ disease?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Thyroid Association.Graves’ eye disease.Wang Y, Sharma A, Padnick-Silver L, et al.Physician-perceived impact of thyroid eye disease on patient quality of life in the United States.Ophthalmol Ther. 2021;10(1):75-87. doi:10.1007/s40123-020-00318-xNational Institutes of Health: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Graves' disease.National Organization for Rare Disorders.Thyroid eye disease.American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is Graves’ disease?
American Thyroid Association.Graves’ eye disease.
Wang Y, Sharma A, Padnick-Silver L, et al.Physician-perceived impact of thyroid eye disease on patient quality of life in the United States.Ophthalmol Ther. 2021;10(1):75-87. doi:10.1007/s40123-020-00318-x
National Institutes of Health: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Graves' disease.
National Organization for Rare Disorders.Thyroid eye disease.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.What is Graves’ disease?
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