Astigmatism caused by hypo?

[Winegum2]

I had an eye test yesterday. It was only a year since my last test. Last year I needed a new prescription and trialed contact lenses. This failed because of dry eyes. Anyway, now I really need new glasses and needed to check that my eyesight hadn't changed in a year before I fork out loads of cash! My optician said that my sight had changed 'quite significantly' in the last year, mainly due to worsening astigmatism. To the extent that I now need a separate pair of reading glasses. Is it just a co-incidence that I've had worsening hypo symptoms in the last 6 months?

[Marz]

I believe astigmatism is due to the suspensory ligaments that suspend the lens and attach to the ciliary muscles weakening and distorting the lens. Well one thing we do know is that muscles are affected by low T3.

I was diagnosed with this at around 12 - umm ! 57 years ago - diagnosed with Hashimotos just 9 years ago -

I have also read that babies born with a cast in the eye can be suffering from thyroid issues. I have found an improvement with my eyesight in the last three years - VitD - T3 - B12 are the biggest changes in my life

[Winegum2 in reply to Marz]

Interesting. When I first needed glasses in my 20s, I was also told I had a lazy eye, which I hadn't had as a child.

[Marz in reply to Winegum2]

...the mysteries just continue ! I think that is why we need to be medical detectives

[AnnT49 in reply to Winegum2]

I had the same thing happen to me in my 50s ! I've asked opticians and ophthalmologists about this, as I thought you had to be born with a "lazy" eye, and it had never been picked up in all the eye tests I'd had throughout my school years, or even in visits to opticians, when in my 30s. None have been able to answer my question. Seems we are an optical mystery.

[rebekah40]

I also have astigmatism but didn't know about it until I had all the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Food for thought!

[HIFL]

Interesting article here: tiredthyroid.com/blog/2014/... that found hypothyroid children get more nearsighted with time. I had not ever heard of this, and now wonder how many with thick glasses could be hypo! I had thick glasses and astigmatism as a teen, years before my Graves' diagnosis in my 30s.

[Hillwoman]

Coincidentally, last week I was told at my routine eye exam that mild astigmatism had worsened quite significantly. My health has declined quite steeply over the same period. Now I have a large bill looming for complex lenses.

Just yesterday I saw Dr P for a follow-up on my thyroid and adrenal treatments. Conclusion: they aren't working! Not sure what the next step is until test results come back, but I wish now that I'd mentioned my eye test to him.

[skatterkat]

My daughter has just had a new eye test and has been told her astigmatism has improved. The optometrist had never seen this before and could only conclude that it was due to her starting a combo of t3 and ntd about a year ago. Her health has improved enormously on this combo

[IceCrystals13 in reply to skatterkat]

Hi, I am very interested in your comment. My little boy has pretty severe astigmatism in both eyes and I am searching high and low to find a way to get it to stop changing. Not to mention, our family has a very high occurance of hypothyroidism! Can you please tell me what "NTD" is that you mentioned in your comment?

Thank you so much!!!

[Winegum2 in reply to IceCrystals13]

Hi, I think scattercat meant NDT which stands for Natural Desiccated Thyroid. Its what Hypothyroidism was treated with before synthetic thyroid was invented in the 70s. Its made from animal(usually pig) thyroid. Its very difficult to get a Dr to prescribe it in this country.

[Winegum2]

I'm getting closer to self treatment by the day! Although I'm feeling a lot better since being on a bucket load of supplements (& due to the summer!) some things aren't improving such as my eyesight and ectopic heart beats. One last request for a tsh test in a couple of months and if that doesn't hit the magic number, I'll have to go it alone.

[Astridnova]

Hmm. I have the same sort of feeling about this. I am now 65. Four years ago I got a specific prescription. Then I was treated for hypothyroid. My eyes improved and my new prescription was lower strength. Then I stupidly misinterpreted my signs and symptoms and reduced my thyroid treatment and became quite hypothyroid. As I slowly climb back from this, I have been put back on the earlier, stronger prescription. I also shelled out much more money for glasses this time - and now I am wondering whether, as my thyroid condition improves, I won't need that strength.