In this instance the eye specialist has a specific name: Ophthalmologist

three-reasons-why-youll-want-to-visit-the-eye-specialist

Are you finding yourself too hot or cold? Do you find that your energy levels are out of whack—too tired or buzzing? Then there may be a problem with your thyroid gland…

Graves’ disease…

It is not entirely clear what causes Graves’ disease, but there are two factors considered most likely: that there is certainly an autoimmune component; and that is not a result of an over reactive thyroid gland. In fact what happens is that your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your thyroid gland and your eyes causing some of the following symptoms:

  • Increased watering of the eyes
  • Mild soreness of the eyes
  • Photophobia (sensitivity to bright lights)
  • Dry eyes
  • Watery eyes
  • Puffiness of the eyes (and can be worse in the morning)

Did you know that by reading this your brain will actively and (sometimes unconsciously) search through your memory looking for instances of these symptoms? But not only that, it has been proven by psychologists that our brain will link the individual symptoms together, sometimes ignoring events in between other factors.

Why is this relevant?

It is always important to visit your doctor if you are unsure. More to the point, sometimes our brains play tricks on us—this isn’t meant in a malicious way (we are certainly not saying that everyone is a hypochondriac). What we are saying is that if you look at a list of symptoms for, say, something like Sleep Apnoea or jaw dysfunction illness or a number of chronic illnesses the symptom list is frighteningly similar.
Because, you see when we ask about a range of symptoms, it is more common that a person will have this one and that one, while another person will have two different symptoms: and they will both have the same illness.

That’s why a specialist is so important…

At Peter A. Martin MB BS we deal with a wide range of eye conditions and have done so for over 30 years. Using the latest in medical technology we can give you the best treatment to suit your individual needs. And with a disease such as Graves’ disease the treatment will depend on the sign and symptoms you are exhibiting.

3 reasons why it is so important to visit your eye specialist…

A survey was conducted overseas in a Western country and found that 12% of their population had a thyroid condition and at least 20 million have some form of thyroid condition. If left untreated thyroid conditions can lead to:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Infertility

Yes, at the beginning of this article, it was written that Grave’s disease is not a result of an overactive thyroid gland. But it was also stated that the condition causes the immune system to mistakenly attack the thyroid and eye. After all, Graves’ disease is also known as thyroid eye disease.

So where does this leave us…

At Peter A. Martin MB BS we have a range of treatment solutions to help solve Graves’ disease in various forms:

Eyelid retraction: for this you may need eye drops. Some patients have required their eyelids to be taped shut at night.
Proptosis: it’s possible this may settle on its own, however surgery for reducing proptosis may be a necessary treatment option (surgery for reducing proptosis is orbital decompression surgery).
Double vision: there is an outside chance that over time you may need surgery to straighten the eye.
Optic Nerve Compression: surgery is generally required; although there may be times when other options are available.
Glaucoma: it is okay we have anti-glaucoma drops for that.

At Peter A. Martin MB BS in Bondi Junction we have over thirty years of experience in Ophthalmology. Our dedicated doctors are here to help you with any of your eye conditions that are worrying you.

For more information on our Graves’ disease treatments, or to book an appointment at our medical practice in Bondi Junction, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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