# Hashimoto's and weird eye stuff



## hashimotocoaster (Mar 22, 2013)

I know eye problems are usually associated with Graves' disease, but does anyone with Hashimoto's have eye issues?

One day last September (when I was feeling like hell and in the process of trying to get a diagnosis), I woke up and the blood vessels in my eyelids (near my eyelashes) were inflamed and had a red/purple tint. It literally happened overnight. It's a bit better now, but still there.

I started having eye pain/pressure (like someone is pressing on the top of my eyeball) a little last fall, but in the past few months, it's gotten worse. I also sometimes have floaters and see momentary flashes of light (usually blue?!). This is weird, but when I see something in my peripheral vision that has parallel lines, the lines appear to move. When I look directly at it, it stops. Maybe that's normal and I've never noticed before. I haven't ever lost vision or had double vision (knock on wood!) but these things are somewhat alarming. I have migraines and in the past couple years I've started occasionally (like, twice a year) having visual auras with them (classic shiny zigzag fortification pattern), so I'm wondering if that could be a factor, also.

Today I noticed that my eyes are especially bloodshot. They're usually at least a little bloodshot, but some days are worse than others. Anyone else have any of these symptoms?

My mother has Graves' so when I see the endo in a couple months I'm going to ask to be tested for those antibodies as well.


----------



## allowingtoo (Mar 31, 2012)

I've been seeing halos when I wake most mornings. I don't know if that's the word to explain it. Everything has an outline to it. Like my hand - when I move it - I'll see an aura around it. Maybe that's the word.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

hashimotocoaster said:


> I know eye problems are usually associated with Graves' disease, but does anyone with Hashimoto's have eye issues?
> 
> One day last September (when I was feeling like hell and in the process of trying to get a diagnosis), I woke up and the blood vessels in my eyelids (near my eyelashes) were inflamed and had a red/purple tint. It literally happened overnight. It's a bit better now, but still there.
> 
> ...


Hashi's and Graves are believed to be closely related. So, may I suggest you do not delay and make an appt. to see a Board Certified Ophthalmologist?

Hashi's and Graves' closely related
http://www.thyroidmanager.org/chapter/hashimotos-thyroiditis/


----------



## abymom99 (Apr 15, 2013)

I'm having a lot of visual problems right now. I have hashi also. I just saw an opthalmologist on Monday (my neuro made me go see one) because of all of my symptoms:

-nystagmus (random quick eye jerks), multiple times a day
-flashing lights, usually one quick light flash in both eyes, like lightening in the distance, only noticed in dim lighting
-extreme and fluctuating nearsightedness (false), unable to determine what makes it better or worse​
So the opthalmologist checked my eyes and said everything looked really good. He was a bit stumped as to why I couldn't see well because my prescription is very mild and had not changed. Basically I should only need driving glasses for far distances. I was shocked because there are often times that I can barely see myself in the mirror in the bathroom when standing at the counter. I almost always have to lean in to see any details.

I did have dry eyes and after talking to him about it further, he told me he thinks I have "accommodating spasm" but that it's very rare. He said it basically means the eye muscles are in near constant spasm with a focus for items that are close, making it hard to see things further away even though my vision is basically fine. He said this can be caused by overactivity of the nerves and recommened a low-dose beta blocker, so I'm trying that to see if it helps.

Although I've had the fluctuating vistion problem for a few years now, the flashing lights/nystagmus just started in the last two months. I'm concerned I might have Hashimoto's encephalopathy (I have other neuro issues) but no one seems to want to explore that option. Everyone said my neuro should be addressing that but he said my endo should.


----------



## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I would consult with another neurologist.

Just out of curiosity, are you diabetic? [I am.] I notice changes with my eyes when my glucose is uncontrolled. Admittedly, not the kinds of changes you're talking about....


----------



## abymom99 (Apr 15, 2013)

CA-Lynn said:


> I would consult with another neurologist.
> 
> Just out of curiosity, are you diabetic? [I am.] I notice changes with my eyes when my glucose is uncontrolled. Admittedly, not the kinds of changes you're talking about....


Yeah, I'm thinking I'm going to have to end up doing that, but will likely wait until I see the ENT for a recommendation. My neuro put me through a ringer of tests though (regular EEG, full 72-hr EEG, brain/c-spine MR, nerve/muscle conductivity tests, blood work) but couldn't find anything primary causing the neuro problems. He said so many things can cause these symptoms, including occular migraines, anxiety (surprise, surprise), etc. He didn't exactly give up on treating me, but unless he wasn't really listening when I said "hashimoto's *encephalopathy*", he should have looked into that possibility further, or at least referred me to a neuro that would. He just kept mentioning "endo's" should handle it. 

No, I don't have diabetes and even my opth. said no diabetic damage to the eyes, but I keep telling my docs I think I have a blood sugar problem. They say if I do, it's not diabetes because my fasting glucose is always high. But almost daily about an hour or two after I eat lunch, I start having terrible shakes, nausea, dizziness and have to put something on my stomach quickly. This doesn't happen with every meal, but I do eat smaller, healthier meals for lunch so maybe I'm just not eating enough? From what I could find online I think it's reactive hypoglycemia. I even bought a glucometer and sure enough when this happens my sugar levels are low. But no doc has ever taken me seriously about it, they just tell me to eat smaller meals and to eat more often to keep my levels stable.


----------



## hashimotocoaster (Mar 22, 2013)

Thanks for all your replies!

Andros, I would, but I don't have health insurance (and next week I'm unemployed--good times!). I brought it up to my doctor last week and all he said was that it's probably thyroid-related. I plan on discussing it with the endo when I finally see one this summer.


----------



## proud-armywife (Jul 29, 2011)

I have had bloodshot yellowish eyes for a very long time. Also, I feel pressure on the backside, sometimes it aches enough that I have to take ibuprofen or Tylenol. I have described it as looking like I am high! LOl It is a joke among my friends- It is embarrassing to me because I see people looking right at my eyes, I do not know why this is happening, had liver checked was in normal range...... Thyroid does crazy things!


----------



## KSUE (May 3, 2013)

Hi all...I was reading your posts about eye issues and Hashis and am curious about Hashimotos encephalopathy. What is it? I frequently have problems with my eyesight..almost like I'm looking through smoke...then everything will be perfectly clear. I have glasses with a small prescription that I use for driving to see far away but my eye doc says otherwise my eyes are fine....:confused0024:


----------



## abymom99 (Apr 15, 2013)

KSUE said:


> Hi all...I was reading your posts about eye issues and Hashis and am curious about Hashimotos encephalopathy. What is it? I frequently have problems with my eyesight..almost like I'm looking through smoke...then everything will be perfectly clear. I have glasses with a small prescription that I use for driving to see far away but my eye doc says otherwise my eyes are fine....:confused0024:


Hi KSUE. Hashimoto's encephalopathy is basically when the antibiodies that normally attack your thyroid also start attacking your nervous system, specifically the brain. It is considered extremely rare, although I read where it may be more common then originally thought and just missed because it was diagnosed as something else. According to both of these articles, the primary symptoms are cognitive impairment, psychosis, seizures and myoclonus (muscle jerks). It can also affect the eyes, given their location to the brain, typically in the form of nystagmus. Here are a few articles that go over HE more in depth:

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/12/60

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/16506876/649474610/name/CNS

Personally, I currently have nystagmus (and also accommodation spasm of the eyes), myoclonus and I've recently begun to stutter which I'm relating to cognitive impairment (feel like I can't remember what word I'm trying to say), but plan to talk to all of this with my new ENT on Thursday since my current neurologist was of no help. Hopefully she'll at least get me pointed in the right direction, even if it's just with a new and improved neurologist!


----------

