Eyes feel gritty and bulging
Your eyes feel like sand got into them. They sting, water, and turn sore in bright light. In the mirror they may look bigger, or more staring than before.
Graves disease is one common cause of this. Your immune system goes after the thyroid gland in your neck. It can go after tissue behind the eyes too.
That tissue swells and pushes the eyeball forward. Your lids may not shut all the way, so the surface dries. Smoking makes the swelling worse.
The grit and the bulge often change over months. One eye can look worse than the other. Many people also notice puffy lids and red, dry eyes in the morning.
When to see someone
Get same-day eye care if your sight dims, colours look washed out, or you see double. Deep pain behind the eye, or a lid that will not close at night, needs a doctor now. Ask your doctor for a thyroid blood test if no one has checked yours yet.
Below is a list of folk and traditional remedies linked with Graves disease. Each one carries a grade for how much study stands behind it. A grade is not a promise of results, so read these as notes for a talk with your doctor.



