Thyroid eye disease is an eye condition in which the muscles of the eye with fatty tissue located behind the eye become inflamed. This inflammation can cause the eyes to be pushed forward (‘bulging’ or ‘staring eyes’). The bulging of the eyeballs is often in connection with thyroid diseases.
Thyroid eye disease is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system of the body attacks the back of the eye and triggers inflammation. This causes the eyelids and eyes to become red and swollen. This condition is also known as Graves ophthalmopathy, associated mainly with an overactive thyroid due to Graves’ disease.
Endocrine orbitopathy affects women 6 times as often as it does men. The most noticeable three symptoms are: pulled-back upper eyelid, eyeballs bulging forward, and disturbed movement of the eyes. These symptoms cause the patient to look like they were staring. Besides that, these symptoms can lead to other complaints. Due to the shrinking back of the eyelid (from inflammation and scarification of the elevating muscle of the upper eyelid), the cornea becomes dry, causing conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers. Eye movement disorders can cause the patient to see double. The prominence of the eyeball is a result of the expansion of the muscles and fatty tissue in the eye sockets. It can also lead to damage of the optical nerve.
If a thyreoid disorder is the underlying cause of endocrine orbitopathy, it needs to be treated first. Further therapeutic measures depend on the severity of the symptoms. Treatment at the acute stage is comprised of cortisone therapy or radiation. Chronic stages require treatment of symptoms (keeping the cornea moist, for example). Serious chronic stages may require a surgery.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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