Doctors at Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital here on Thursday stressed on the need for patients with thyroid issues to periodically check their eyes.
Addressing the media, Ashvin Agarwal, executive director and head of clinical services at the hospital, said the COVID-19 pandemic had showed the need for this as the hospital was now seeing increasing number of patients with thyroid eye disease (TED).
“People with diabetes are generally aware about the need to get their eyes tested. However, similar awareness is not there if a person has thyroid issues,” he said. He said in severe cases of TED, the affected person may carry the risk of their sight getting affected.
Priti Udhay, head, occuloplasty and aesthetic services at the hospital, said TED was an autoimmune disorder that could cause swelling of tissues behind the eyeball. “This makes the eyes of the patients look bulgy as if they are popping out. Apart from the emotional issues caused by the disfigurement, the disease can affect sight if left untreated,” she said.
Pointing to the increasing number of patients seen at the hospital, she said that impact on thyroid gland for COVID-19-affected persons and lapses in monitoring thyroid level due to the pandemic could be potential reasons.
S. Soundari, head of medical services, appealed to the at-risk population to opt for active screening for thyroid eye disease. “The only way to prevent severe disease is to keep thyroid hormone levels under control and get a regular examination with an oculoplastic doctor,” she said.
