Meeting
the needs of Southern Californians:
The Shiley Eye Center recently established a special clinic to
treat Southern Californians with thyroid-related eye disease.
This clinic uniquely offers coordinated, multidisciplinary care
by subspecialists David B. Granet, M.D., (Eye Alignment Disorders),
Don 0. Kikkawa, M.D., (Eyelid and Orbital Surgery) and Leah Levi,
M.D., (Neuro-ophthalmology). Collectively, the team provides each
patient individualized treatment, helping people with severe functional
and cosmetic abnormalities that can result from this disease.
Early eye symptoms, which
may include dryness, redness, itching, and swelling of the lids,
are usually mild. These mild symptoms can often be successfully
treated with frequent applications of lubricating eye drops and
eye covers at night.
In many cases, protrusion
of the eye, producing disfigurement and eyelid retraction (see
photo below), may occur and progress to a point where the eyes
do not close completely. Once inflamed, the eye disease may remain
active from several months to as long as three years. However,
the condition generally subsides over a period of time and, occasionally,
improves completely. Approximately six months after the condition
has stabilized, corrective surgery can be considered.
Depending on how thyroid
eye disease has affected the patient's eyes, surgery options include
orbital decompression to place the eye back in its socket, alleviation
of retracted eyelids, loosening of the eyelid muscles, as well
as removal of scar tissue, excessive fatty tissue and skin.
A small number of patients
will develop double vision (diplopia), which is the result of
scarring and inflammation of the eye movement muscles. In these
cases, medical treatment, radiotherapy, and/or muscle surgery
may be required to restore vision. In addition, Shiley Eye Center
is one of the few centers nationally that offers state-of-the-art
Botox Therapy for these eye alignment disorders.
The expertise of Shiley
specialists provides the best coordinated care for patients suffering
from thyroid-eye disease. To make an appointment with the Thyroid
Eye Clinic call (858) 534-6290.
