Your thyroid gland, located in your neck, provides the hormones necessary to many metabolic processes in your body. Poor gland function, secreting too much or too little, may cause a thyroid disease. This condition can affect your eyes, and this is often referred to as thyroid eye disease or Graves' disease. Selenium could play a part in regulating the thyroid. If you have thyroid eye disease you may wish to talk with your doctor about the possible benefits.
Symptoms
In the beginning stages of thyroid eye disease, symptoms may mimic other conditions such as dry eye. You may experience discomfort, stinging, redness and watering. Other symptoms of the disease include eyelid swelling and vision changes. As the disease progresses, many people with thyroid eye disease have proptosis, a condition in which the eyeballs seem to bulge or protrude from the eye socket. Proptosis often prevents the eyelids from fully closing, and this may exacerbate surface discomfort.
Selenium
Selenium is a mineral your body needs in small amounts. This nutrient has antioxidant qualities that may prove beneficial to many health conditions. Compounds of selenium and proteins, called selenoproteins, help your immune system function properly, but selenoproteins also help regulate your thyroid. This will not directly affect thyroid eye disease, but a well-controlled thyroid condition may reduce your risk of associated eye symptoms.
Intake
Adults typically require around 55 mcg of selenium each day. Your doctor may recommend that you maintain this intake level, or she may recommend a higher or lower amount based on your health needs. One way to reach your necessary intake is with a daily supplement. Foods will also provide you with selenium, and your doctor may feel that increasing your selenium intake through diet may have the best effect. Selenium-rich foods include many plant-based foods like Brazil nuts which provides 544 mcg. Other plant sources of selenium include fortified oatmeal and fortified rice. Tuna provides 63 mcg of selenium and beef has 35 mcg. You may also eat chicken breasts, eggs, turkey and cheddar cheese for selenium.
Considerations
Non-medicated eye drops such as artificial tears may help relieve surface discomfort associated with thyroid eye disease. However, proptosis will not typically resolve, even if you find the right treatments to keep your thyroid condition under control. You should make sure you keep all appointments with your doctor to ensure you have the lowest possible risk for this condition.
