Liz1967
    Post count: 305

    Do not have a blepharoplasty. Please see an oculoplastic surgeon who is familiar with Graves orbitopathy. TED is caused by antithyroid antibodies mistaking eye tissue for thyroid and attacking ocular muscles, lacrimal (tear) glands and soft tissue surrounding the eyes. It causes dry eye, lid swelling, muscle swelling and scarring causing double vision and eye bulging. It is not something to mess around with and it has to burn out before surgical fixes can be contemplated. It can affect the optic nerve which is the worst case scenario causing vision loss. There are studies suggesting early and complete surgical removal of the thyroid can help, either by preventing or shortening the course of the eye disease. Swollen eyelid is a mild symptom but any facial surgery can exacerbate the eye disease. It took steroids, ocular radiation and 6 surgeries on each eye to restore my vision and cosmetic rehabilitation, so you really need to find doctors with expertise and lots of experience with Graves. The sooner you get your thyroid levels under control and stable, the better. I went the thyroidectomy route and it did halt the eye disease as well as making me feel normal again immediately postop.