Elizabeth Thompson, PhD at Horizon Pharmaceuticals provides an overview of thyroid eye disease (TED), a rare autoimmune disease causing permanent facial disfigurement severely affecting patients’ quality of life and daily function. The disease often presents suddenly, with an avalanche of endocrine and ophthalmic symptoms impairing normal life.
TED is most often associated with Graves’ disease (GD), but also can occur in association with hypothyroidism, euthyroidism, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. GD affects approximately 1% to 2% of the adult population, with an estimated 40% of GD patients subsequently developing TED over the course of their lifetime. The onset of TED typically occurs between 30 and 50 years of age, with the disease course more severe after age 50.
For more information about TED and other rare eye disorders, visit https://checkrare.com/diseases/ophthalmology-eye-diseases/
