A study conducted by scientists at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) found that people with thyroid eye disease (TED) are more likely to develop glaucoma. Learn more about thyroid eye disease and how knowing about the glaucoma risk can help save your vision.*

What is thyroid eye disease?

TED is an autoimmune disease–related to Graves disease–that causes inflammation and damage to muscles, connective tissue, and fatty tissue around they eye, and can lead to various symptoms including:

• Dry and/or red eyes
• Watery eyes
• Eye irritation with a gritty sensation
• Double vision 
• Difficulty closing your eye completely
• Eyes that bulge slightly
• Pain behind the eyes

TED can also cause secondary glaucoma by compressing and damaging the optic nerve. Recent studies suggest that people with TED are significantly more likely than people without TED to develop glaucoma.

Thyroid eye disease and glaucoma risk

The UCSD study involved 393 patients with TED and 1,572 people without TED, with an average age of 63 and variable gender, race, and ethnicity. The research team evaluated the association between TED and glaucoma (including all types of glaucoma, as well as glaucoma suspects), using those without TED as the reference group. 

The team found that:

• 114 (29.0%) of patients with TED also received a diagnosis of glaucoma, versus 
• 94 (6.0%) of non-TED controls. 

People with TED are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with glaucoma. If you’ve been diagnosed with TED, your eye care provider should conduct or arrange a glaucoma evaluation for you. Early detection and intervention can help preserve your vision. 

*Delavar, A., Saseendrakumar, B. R., Lee, T. C., Popilow, N. J., et al. (2023, July). 

Associations Between Thyroid Eye Disease and Glaucoma Among Those Enrolled in the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program. Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery 39(4):336-340. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36394556/ 

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