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  • Anonymous
      Post count: 93172

      As far as I know the there are no antibodies behind the eyes. It is regular tissue behind the eyes
      that swells and pushes the eyes forward. It is these antibodies that created the Graves disease that are still
      circulating in the blood that causes the eye changes.

      Lynn

      Anonymous
        Post count: 93172

        Katie,

        Here is a website that may answer your questions:

        http://www.rnib.org.uk/info/eyeimpoi/thyroid.htm

        Lynn

        Anonymous
          Post count: 93172

          Katie,

          I found a pair of sunglasses at a local drug store, which have helped me tremendously with respect to light sensitivity, and the drying effect of wind. They fit over my regular glasses, are molded to fit up against the forehead (keeping out light from above), and the side pieces are wide sunglass/lens/plastic as well. They really help me. If you want specifics about them, email me. They were not expensive.

          Bobbi–Bobbi1436@AOL.com

          Anonymous
            Post count: 93172

            Lynn, I meant the antibodies behind the eyes, not the thyroid-am I way off base here? I sure hope you guys can figure me out, no one else has been able to.

            Anonymous
              Post count: 93172

              Hi, Katie!

              I understand what you’re going through, and sometimes there are no
              easy answers. Thinking back, it was my eye symptoms that “made or
              broke” my day. The redness, tearing, itchiness, and aches seemed
              to determine my mood and energy levels for the day. Needless to
              say, some days I just existed.

              Going to places with a lot of activity, i.e. stores, programs,
              driving on busy streets, not only raised my anxiety levels, but
              also put a strain on my eyes. It was like trying to watch three
              TV shows all at once. It was hard to concentrate on one thing,
              without being distracted by other movements, colors, etc.
              Everything seemed to be coming at me at once, and florescent
              lights didn’t help matters. I tried to deal with these symptoms
              by avoiding busy times on the roads and at the stores, wearing
              the darkest sunglasses I could find (some people even wear tinted
              glasses indoors), and giving my eyes frequent rests between paperwork
              and reading. Using lubricant and taping my eyes shut at night gave
              me the most relief, both during sleep and the next day. You’ll have
              to keep experimenting to see what works best for you.

              I think that my last lid retraction surgery gave my eyes a sleepy
              look, but I feel the procedure gave me the relief I needed. I
              no longer use lube or tape, and rarely have tearing and irritation.
              After seeing myself in photos, I know what I look like to others.
              I now make a conscious effort to open my eyes more widely when
              speaking to people and when having pictures taken (and to think
              that I used to try to squint a little when my proptosis was at
              its worst).

              Keep in touch with your ophthalmologist. He knows your case best
              and can hopefully offer more help. You’ve dealt with Graves’ for
              a long time, and certainly deserve some positive results!

              Wishing you good health and happiness, Debby

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