Thyroid Eye Disease

What Causes Thyroid Eye Disease/ Thyroid Related Orbitopathy
Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune eye condition. It is separate from the thyroid disease and is usually seems to occur in conjunction with the Graves' disease. Following are the key factors that cause TED:
1. Type of Thyroid Disorder
Thyroid eye disease occurs majorly in hyperthyroid patients rather than hypothyroid patients. It often affects women more than men. Symptoms can range from dryness and irritation to loss of color vision and decrease vision.
2. Genetics.
Genetic factors are also responsible in the development of thyroid eye disease as studies have shown TED has a hereditary component.
3. Environmental factors.
The biggest environmental factor that triggers TED is smoking. TED is a mainly a disease involving orbital inflammation. The inflammatory molecules present in tobacco smoke worsen the disease significantly, due to the formation of free radicals as well as reactive species of oxygen.
4. Nutritional factors.
Patients who suffer from TED are usually found deficient in various minerals and vitamins. Selenium is one such example that has anti-inflammatory proteins and patients with hypothyroidism, TED and Graves' disease are benefitted greatly from selenium supplementation. Vitamin D deficiency is also a contributing factor for TED.


Thyroid eye disease (TED) is an autoimmune eye condition. It is separate from the thyroid disease and is usually seems to occur in conjunction with the Graves' disease. thyroid orbitopathy eye disease occurs majorly in hyperthyroid patients rather than hypothyroid patients. Selenium is one such example that has anti-inflammatory proteins and patients with hypothyroidism, TED and Graves' disease are benefitted greatly from selenium supplementation.