Question

Ms. Jenson is a young woman who has been diagnosed with exophthalmos by her eye doctor. She seems very confused about this diagnosis. How could you explain this diagnosis to her? She said the doctor told her she has Graves’ disease. What is Graves’ disease? What is the treatment for it?

Answer 1

Exophthalmos is the bulging of the eyes linked to Graves' disease, an autoimmune disorder causing hyperthyroidism. Symptoms include heat intolerance, irregular heartbeat, and goiter. Treatment options include medication, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery.

Step-by-step explanation:

Exophthalmos, often associated with Graves' disease, is a condition where there is a bulging of the eyes. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder that leads to hyperthyroidism, causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones. This results from the thyroid being stimulated by thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI), which can act similarly to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) but is not regulated by the body's normal feedback systems.

The most common signs of Graves' disease include heat intolerance, rapid and irregular heartbeat, weight loss, goiter, and exophthalmos. Treatment for Graves' disease typically involves medications to regulate thyroid function, radioactive iodine therapy, or surgery to remove part of the thyroid. The specific approach depends on the individual patient's circumstances and the severity of the disease.