At W Cosmetic Surgery® of Philadelphia, we perform orbital decompression surgery, eyelid surgery and cosmetic surgery on patients with thyroid eye disease, helping them to make them look and feel more natural and youthful.
How Graves’ Disease Affects the Eyes
Thyroid eye disease, also called Graves’ disease, afflicts patients, usually women, and can result in blindness, blurry vision, double vision, or uncomfortable eyes.
From a cosmetic standpoint, bulging of the eyes and eyelid retraction give Graves’ disease eyes a “bug-eye” appearance. They may look angry, worried or afraid. In our Philadelphia practice, we are accustomed to correcting complications from thyroid eye disease. Our techniques in patients with thyroid eye disease have been presented nationally and published in scientific journals and textbooks.
Graves’ Disease Eye Surgery Results
Treatment of patients with thyroid eye disease is focused on an end result that looks naturally beautiful. Some typical results are featured in our gallery to help you better understand this treatment method.
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
How We Treat Thyroid Eye Disease
Treatment for thyroid eye disease is highly individualized and based on the activity of the disease at the time of diagnosis and the magnitude of symptoms.
In active thyroid eye disease, management often consists of artificial tears and other means of controlling the dryness. Botox® can be used to lower the eyelid. Disease progression can be slowed or halted with radiation or oral steroids. In these cases, we often work cooperatively with the Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania or with the neuro-ophthalmologists at Jefferson’s Wills Eye Institute. If radiation is required, we work with the Department of Radiation Oncology at Abington Hospital or Drexel University.
Once disease progression is halted, we give consideration to surgery.