Graves' disease, one of the conditions that results from this phenomenon, is characterized not just by an overactive thyroid but also by swelling and inflammation of the muscles and tissues around and behind the eye, which cause the eyes to bulge, Utiger says. Patients with this condition may see double because their eye movements are no longer coordinated, and their eyes may tear excessively. Earlier studies have demonstrated a relationship between smoking and all kinds of thyroid disease, says Utiger, a clinical professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. In my opinion, there is no plausible explanation for why smoking is associated with an overactive thyroid on the one hand and an underactive thyroid on the other hand. It could be that smoking simply damages the thyroid in general, and that damage expresses itself in different ways in different individuals.
Some evidence suggests that patients with eye problems improve more quickly when they stop smoking.
A new study shows a strong association between cigarette smoking and different types of thyroid disease. The cumulative effects of cigarette smoking were important, as those who smoked more were more likely to develop thyroid disease. Researchers do not know how smoking can cause either overactivity or underactivity of the thyroid gland. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.