Orbital Decompression Procedures for Thyroid Eye Disease and its Alternatives

A woman underwent radiation iodine treatment 5 years ago and now her thyroid levels are regulated. However, her eyes are still bulging which causes her eyelids to protrude. She wants to reduce the bulge of her eyes and wonders if there are any less drastic procedures than orbital decompression. Dr. Amiya Prasad describes two choices in restoring one's appearance after having thyroid related immune orbitopathy, thyroid eye disease or even Graves disease. One is called orbital decompression which physically expands the space or reduces the volume of fat behind the eye and may also be a combination of both depending on the situation. Another is doing some type of a camouflage procedure where the eyelids are operated to close the eyes a little bit so they don't look very prominent. Orbital decompression has essentially two types: one is called bony orbital decompression where the surgeon removes parts of the bones that open up into the sinuses. This will allow the tissue behind the eye to move back. Another is called fat orbital decompression where the surgeon physically removes fat directly from behind the eye. Dr. Prasad suggests doing a procedure where the lower eyelids are physically and vertically lifted so that it covers a bit of the eyeball. This will create an illusion but it doesn't in any way change the physical position of the eyeball. Dr. Amiya Prasad is a board certified oculofacial plastic surgeon with offices located in New York City's Upper East Side in Manhattan, and Garden City, Long Island. Dr. Prasad is a super-specialist for surgery of the eyes and the face and has been practicing for over 18 years. For more information, visit: http://www.prasadcosmeticsurgery.com