[Anonymous June 24, 1998 at 6:09 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149394

Hi, Dee:

From the site at http://www.the-thyroid-society.org under educational materials:

Physician Registry
The Thyroid Society has developed a computerized physician referral system of physicians nationwide who specialize in the treatment of thyroid disease, and ophthalmologists who specialize in the treatment of Graves’ eye disease. Patients can request either list by calling 1-800-THYROID

Best of luck to you,

Elaine

[Anonymous June 24, 1998 at 6:47 pm Post count: 93172]

#1050491

Looking for some help out there for info on where to go for some real
professional help w/my Graves eye disease. Altho I’m told my rapidly
detiorating eye sight is due to age (I’m in early 50’s) it seems so
cooincidental. I’ve been seeing a highly respected opthamologist/
surgen who is suggesting that I have lid and eye surgery to correct the
look of bulging, but really am concerned that they are not addressing
the loss of sight problem. Anyone know of a physician’s referral
system out there for finding someone that specializes in Graves eye
disorders (I live between chicago, IL and Milw, WI). Thanks.

[Anonymous March 19, 1999 at 8:21 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149395

I have undergone 10 radiation treatments to my eyes and my doctor has discharged me saying things have stabilized. Yet, I experience extreme grit sensation, blinking constantly, using lacrilube, genteal moisturizer recommended by opth.
I am so tired of my eyes hurting all the time, it seems like the pain is behind the eye, yet all three doctors I go to say that I am doing fine. It seems to go from one eye to the other. Anyone else experience this?
Joan

[Anonymous March 19, 1999 at 10:38 pm Post count: 93172]

#1149396

Joan,
I’ve experienced pain behind my eyes, in my eyes, between my eyes, and places I couldn’t quite pinpoint. Hopefully, one of your 3 docs is an opthamologist specilizing in GED. Yes? And your doc knows of your continuing eye symptoms? The effects of treatment take time, so make sure that you keep in touch with your eye doc.

The pains I was having were caused by retracting eye lids. Besides the grittiness, excessive tearing, and extreme sensitivity to light caused by dry eyes, I was sleeping with my eyes open enough so my lids were scratching my corneas. A couple of times when the pains were intense, I did seek medical treatment with my opth and he perscribed a topical anesthetic for my eyes.

But, scratching your corneas is preventable. Keep your eyes moist. Besides using an ointmant at night, make sure that you use moisture drops often during the day. Yeah, they really wreck the make-up, but they really are soothing. You don’t say that you do, but if you do wear make-up, try wearing less. One of the best things I did for my eyes was quit wearing irridescent eye shadow. Those little particles are killer in your dry eyes.

Sleep with your head elevated– sleep on two pillows. I’m not exactly sure why this is so effective medically but it had a very interesting side effect for me. When I sleep with 2 pillows, I sleep on my back. If I don’t sleep with 2 pillows, I can tell which side I slept on by which eye hurt in the morning — which eye ball I had actually pressed into the pillow.

Also, make sure that your hair is out of your eyes at night.
If you live in a climate where the heat is running a lot, running a humidifier is very helpful. Dry air makes for very dry eyes.

If you wear contacts, you really might want to consider going to glasses. Contact lenses on dry eyes was very painful for me.

Not wearing contacts anymore & wearing less make-up was quite a blow to the vanity, but, my eyes felt better and I get to sleep in longer.

Take care,
SJS

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