Here are 11 ways to ease the symptoms of thyroid eye disease.
1. Use Lubricating Eye Drops
People with thyroid eye disease aren’t able to blink properly, which can lead to dry, irritated eyes. When this happens, fewer tears are produced, which makes the eyes even drier. “Lubricating drops are a great adjunct natural treatment for dry eyes,” says Dr. Rapoport.
When choosing artificial tears or lubricating drops, “Preservative-free formulations reduce the risk of irritation,” says Howard R. Krauss, MD, a neuro-ophthalmologist and clinical professor of ophthalmology and neurosurgery at Saint John’s Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California.
Preservative-free tears are available over the counter. There’s no single eye drop that’s ideal for everyone, he says, but generally speaking, the more viscous the formula, the more protective and comfortable it will be for your eyes.
One caveat: Thicker artificial tears and lubricating drops can blur vision, so you may need to try several brands and formulations to find the best one for you. You can also try saving the most viscous gels or ointments for bedtime.
2. Ask Your Doctor if You Should Try Selenium
Selenium is a nutrient that’s important for normal thyroid hormone production. One review found selenium supplements may be beneficial for managing thyroid eye disease symptoms and improving quality of life.
Another review concluded selenium slows the progression of the disease and improves quality of life.
3. Elevate Your Head
Just as you’d prop up a swollen ankle on a chair, elevating your head can help ease the swelling associated with thyroid eye disease, says Dr. Krauss.
“One does not need to sleep bolt upright,” he says. “But sleeping with as little as a 15-degree elevation of the upper body, keeping the head above the heart, will reduce fluid accumulation behind and around the eyes of people with active thyroid eye disease.” You can buy a specialized pillow to keep your head at an angle while you sleep.
4. Try Moisture Chamber Goggles or Taping
If gels and ointments aren’t working, you might want to try taping your eyelids closed before you go to sleep, says Krauss. This helps the cornea stay covered and lowers the risk of dryness, says Rapoport. Another great option to help dry eyes is moisture chamber goggles.
If you opt to tape your eyes, ask your doctor how to do it, because if it’s not done correctly, you could irritate the surrounding skin. Applying a little bit of ointment to the area around your lower eyelids can also help prevent dryness and irritation.
5. Wear Fresnel Prisms
A fresnel prism is a plastic film that sticks to the front of your existing eyeglasses. Prisms are most helpful for people who have double vision.
“This is a great treatment for patients [with double vision] when they are in the active state of the disease,” says Rapoport.
An ophthalmologist or optometrist can fit you for prisms by carefully measuring how much you need and then placing them onto your eyeglasses, says Rapoport. Fresnel prisms are not available over the counter.
6. Wear Sunglasses
Too much exposure to sunlight, wind, and air can irritate your eyes if you have an eye condition, such as thyroid eye disease. “During the daytime, sunglasses can reduce the discomfort that can be caused by sunlight and protect the eyes from irritation caused by airflow across the surface of the eyes,” says Krauss.
Wraparound sunglasses are particularly good at protecting your eyes from the air. “Make sure that they are large enough to keep your eyes well covered, as UV light causes pterygium [a growth on the cornea] and cataracts,” says Rapoport.
You also shouldn’t rely on blue light glasses, says Rapoport, because they don’t reduce irritation or glare. “When our eyes are irritated from screen time, it is because of how we use screens,” says Rapoport. “We don’t keep our corneas lubricated enough, and we do not blink enough.”
7. Apply Cool Compresses
Placing a wet, cold cloth on your eyes can temporarily ease swelling and pain, and the extra moisture can also help ease dryness. If you want it to be really cold, try popping a damp washcloth in the fridge for 10 minutes or wrapping it around some ice cubes. You can also buy a reusable gel mask that you can freeze or put in the fridge.
8. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Having thyroid eye disease can affect your slumber. Medications, such as steroids, can disrupt sleep, and thyroid eye disease is also associated with an increased risk of sleep apnea. To make sure you get the rest you need, try these tips:
- Turn off all screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Don’t use your bed for watching television, working, eating, or other non–sleep related activities.
- Don’t nap.
- Keep your bedtime and wake-up time consistent.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
- Use blackout curtains.
- Keep the environment quiet and peaceful.
- Don’t eat right before bed.
Stella Chung, MD, an assistant professor in the department of ophthalmology at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, says good sleep can also help you handle stress. She notes that some of the flare-ups of thyroid eye disease symptoms she’s seen in her patients may have been exacerbated by stress. “Sleep is important. It’s stress management,” she says. “It’s all tied together.”
9. Follow a Healthy Diet
While there is no specific diet that can improve thyroid eye disease symptoms, healthy eating can contribute to better overall health. Dr. Chung recommends a well-balanced diet that is good for everyone in general. This would include:
- Minimally processed foods
- Plenty of water
- Whole foods
- Adequate protein intake
- Vitamin D–rich foods or a supplement
- A selenium supplement, if you have a deficiency
For people who also have other autoimmune diseases, Chung recommends an anti-inflammatory diet that eliminates all dairy and gluten.
10. Avoid Secondhand Smoke
“Secondhand smoke causes inflammation of the cornea and disrupts the balance of the eye’s tear film,” says Rapoport. For people with thyroid eye disease, who already have inflamed corneas and sensitive tear film, secondhand smoke can be even more irritating.
11. Quit Smoking
If you currently smoke, try to stop immediately. “Numerous studies have repeatedly demonstrated that smokers have a far more severe degree of inflammation of the [eye] muscles in association with thyroid eye disease and have an increased risk of blindness, double vision, and disfigurement,” says Krauss.
Smoking is never good for you, under any circumstances, but it is particularly harmful to people with Graves’ disease. Smoking increases the risk of thyroid eye disease in people with Graves’ disease, and smokers have more severe thyroid eye disease and worse outcomes with immunosuppressive treatments.
Another study found smoking increased the risk of surgery for thyroid eye disease, such as procedures to correct strabismus (squinting one eye to be able to see) and eyelid recession.
If you smoke, the American Lung Association offers support on how to kick the habit. Maintaining a good attitude is key to following through and reaching your goal. The organization says it will help to do the following:
- Focus on what motivates you.
- Increase your confidence that you can be successful.
- Learn other ways to manage stress.
- Know it’s never too late to quit.
- Learn from your past attempts at quitting.
- Tell others about your goal, so they can support you.
- Consider using medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, such as nicotine patches, varenicline (Chantix), or bupropion (Wellbutrin).
It’s never easy to break an addiction, but it is worth the fight for better health and a longer life.
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