[Ski]

#1066293

First, the best person to talk to about your potential thyroid eye disease is an ophthalmologist, not an optometrist. We had several very good stories about the difference during the conference in October, but I won’t go into them here ~ the real authority on anything that may occur due to TED is an ophthalmologist.

I have had floaters since I was a child, because my myopia is so severe. I have not seen anything connecting floaters to TED since I’ve been diagnosed, and that’s more than 10 years now. I suppose there’s a chance that swelling in the orbits can either make the floaters more pronounced, or put them in the right place to be seen more frequently, so I’m interested to hear what you find out.

Ironically, optometrists MAY know this part of the equation, but I don’t know for sure. If you really have symptoms of TED, you should find an ophthalmologist. We typically recommend those affiliates with ASOPRS (http://www.asoprs.org) because they have received additional training in the treatments available to patients with TED, which have been rapidly developing in the past few years. You really should be talking with the experts on this one.

[Julie3588]

#1066294

Reading your post made me realize that my floaters may be related to GD too. I had never made the connection. I was diagnosed with GD my freshmen year of college after some extreme symptoms sent me to the hospital. I began getting floaters in my left eye approx. a year before that during my senior year of high school. I am now a senior in college and still experience the floaters in my eye, though I have not noticed they get any worse/better when I have gone from hyper to hypo multiple times because of ATDs and RAI. They bother me the most when I am in bright sun or looking at a computer screen, similar to your situation. I’m also on 100 mcg of Synthroid, lol. I went to an eye doctor a few years ago about them and he said I shouldn’t worry unless my eyes start to bulge, which they never had. Sorry I can’t really answer your question about whether they are connected to being hyper or not, but it’s nice to know someone else out there has the same problem.

-Julie

[basebplyr6]

#1018663

Hi, I have a quick question about eye floaters…

background: I’m a 25 yr old male and was diagnosed with GD around July 09, was allergic to both anti-thyroid meds and had RAI on Oct. 6th. Finally went hypo (T4: 0.20, TSH: 37.520, T3: 28) on Jan. 12th. I’m currently on levothyroxine 100 mcg and have taken for 4 weeks. I’m beginning to feel much better but still have issues of tiredness, dry skin (mainly on hands), and mild itching on the inside of my thighs.

I have had floaters in both eyes for approx. 4-5 years. I have begun to get used to them and recently realized that there might be a connection with them and my GD. The issue is that they have recently been bothering me more when outside in bright sunlight and occasionally looking at a computer screen. The floaters have not increased in number but have seemed to increase in frequency. Of course now that I’m aware of the issue I’m probably noticing them more.

question: I’m seeing an optometrist on Tuesday about the issue, but I wanted to see if anyone else had experienced eye floaters. Is it possible that I am seeing more floaters because I’m still hypo and they will improve once my levels are stablaized? Or is possible that this is a side effect of the levothyroxine? Any other possibilities.

Thanks

[sopheus42]

#1066295

I have the same problem, too. I was diagnosed with GD and had radioactive treatment twice. I’ve noticed that my floaters have become more and more pronounced as time goes by (my treatment was over ten years ago) and have never thought that they could be due to GD. I’m interested in seeing what you find out…I’ve attempted to tell my eye doctor about my disease but he persists in telling me that my disease had nothing to do with them. I’m not sure if he knows that much about GD, so perhaps his opinion is misconstrued. Hope you find out more information that I was able to get! Good luck~

[Bobbi]

#1066296

I recently had a huge breakdown of the vitreus goop at the back of the eye – – causing lightning flashes and distorted vision at first, then lots of floaters. I have seen the opthamologist to double check that my retina is still ok. He tells me that it’s very common as we get older. It happens in lots and lots of people who have never had GD. There are other causes

[mamabear]

#1066297

Bobbi, my eye dr. said the same thing. Dr. is very very adamant about me not using any contacts due to the Graves’ disease even though I am in remission. He said that remission or not and knowing that GD doesn’t have anything to do wtih TED he said using the contacts might cause a problem and have something react and start something we dont want. so it’s glasses only for me, i never used contacts but was mad wehn I was told not at all.

He was the one who said that floaters are the particles that break down, some seem to "float" but it is really the shadow we see not the actual particle. Being on a computer screen, outside in the sun/blue skies are more common for them to be seen. If you have white ceilings or light colored ceilings or carpets, even on furniture it is more obvious to see them.

personally I play with mine….Yes I do! I found a new one a while back and went to dr. about it, we discussed trauma that might cause it and of course age. I had mine at a young age, we wont get into why but there was a new one so he explained what Bobbi said. New ones do fade but they will always be there, you might want to dim your computer screen or change the background.

Knowing they are there makes us aware and makes us want to see them and then we get mad and frustrated that they are there. I opted for just playing with them. lol

[Ski]

#1066298

Just FYI ~ I’ve continued to wear my contacts throughout my disease and treatment process. I had a brief period after RAI when my eyes were more gritty, but nothing severe, and that was over in a few months. Other than that, I’ve had a little TINY bit of bulging (watch out when I’m feeling stressed), and most of that has disappeared over time. Oddly, it’s just in the past few years that my eyes really dropped back into my head so that they look much more normal (I’ve had GD since 1998, never had severe TED symptoms).

My contact lenses haven’t been a problem at all. I do wear soft lenses, I don’t believe I could ever go back to gas permeables, though I wore them for a long time prior to GD. I can’t wear the lenses quite as long as I used to, comfortably, but a good 10-hour day covers most everything I do, and I don’t even use a lot of artificial tears. Just sometimes when I’m working under flourescent lights on the computer with forced air ventilation (like at the GDF conferences, ha ha). ” title=”Very Happy” />

If you REALLY want to wear your contacts again, I’d get a trial pair and see how you do with them. If your doctor is "presuming" something "might" happen, well, be the guinea pig for him, rather than bowing to the presumption. If you’re interested, that is. I understand the fear of triggering something ~ I keep refusing Lasix surgery for that very reason ~ so of course the decision is yours. I just wanted to pass on my experience.

[Madame_X]

#1066299

Nearly everybody I know who is nearsighted has floaters. I’ve had them since about 1992.

[sopheus42]

#1066300

I wish that I could blame it on getting older but I’m only 29…I’ve never had problems with my eyes and had 20/20 vision prior to being diagnosed with Grave’s Disease. After RAI and 10 years after my treatment, I have about three floaters that have appeared. Wish I could say that it has to do with eye problems but not so sure because I’ve never had them prior to GD.

[Ski]

#1066301

Please let us know what your doctors have to say about this. I’d be interested to hear.

As I said before, I’ve had floaters pretty much forever (LONG before Graves’ diagnosis), my doctors have said it’s due to my nearsightedness, and it’s not a dangerous development, they don’t infringe upon my ability to see. I haven’t necessarily noticed more since GD, but who’s to say ~ I’m so used to them, I kind of look "through" them and it doesn’t worry me. Sometimes when I need to get to sleep, I’ll try to "follow" them. My version of counting sheep. ” title=”Very Happy” />

If any of your doctors indicate there IS conclusively a connection to GD, I’d be interested to hear the details, for future reference.

[Kylar]

#1066302

I was called by my DR just yesterday & have no idea if I have Graves or what she said hyperthyroidism so I looked it up & this seems to fit BUT I also have floaters!

[James]

#1066303

Hi Kylar,

Graves’ disease is probably the most common cause of Hyperthyroidism, but until your Dr. confirms this with either a thyroid scan or definitive blood test that indicates that there is an excess of Graves’ disease antibodies present, you won’t know for sure. Make sure you follow up with you Dr. for the definitive results and keep us posted on your progress. Eye floaters are common in the general population, I personally have never heard of them being directly linked to Graves’ or hyperthyroidism.

Regards,

James

[Kylar]

#1066304

Thanks! My Family DR is sending me to a Specialist Im just waiting for a date. I seem to have all the Symptoms of graves but also pain in my calves (odd) Im wondering how to start a post on this site??

[Bobbi]

#1066305

To post a topic, kylar, you must be in the main NGDF.org list of topics. At the top of the list of topics is a hot button called "New Topic." If you push that, you will be given a screen that will allow you to post a new issue.

[mamabear]

#1066306

Baseballplayer6, I’m not sure if you are still having issues with dry skin but there are some things you can try to help it.

I listed some things Click on here for Tips

I also bumped it up so it is on the first page of this forum so others can see it.

[Author]

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