If you’re living with thyroid eye disease (TED), you’re not alone. This rare disorder affects only about 0.2 percent of the entire population, so it can feel isolating. However, some people live with the condition and have experienced symptoms similar to yours. Even some celebrities like athletes, musicians, and actors, live with TED and Graves’ disease.

Some celebrities have shared their stories with TED, including their symptoms and the challenges of diagnosis and treatment. If you’re feeling alone or just want to know that others understand what you’re going through, learning about these public figures who have TED and Graves’ disease can be helpful.

What Is Thyroid Eye Disease?

TED is an autoimmune disease. This means the immune system mistakenly attacks part of the body. In TED, the tissues and fatty layers behind the eyes become inflamed. This inflammation can push against the eyeballs, making them look bulging or protruding.

For some, the inflammation may only cause red eyes or swelling in the eye or eye socket. Occasionally, the swelling can also affect the muscles that control eye movement. This can cause changes in vision like seeing double, among other symptoms. Very rarely, the inflammation can put pressure on the optic nerve, which can lead to blindness or ulcers developing on the cornea (the front part of the eye).

TED is relatively rare, and there are various treatments available, depending on how severe it is, your underlying conditions, and other factors. TED usually develops in people already diagnosed with Graves’ disease. However, it may occasionally happen in others as well.

What Is Graves’ Disease?

Graves’ disease is another autoimmune disorder. It affects the thyroid gland, causing it to produce more thyroid hormone than the body needs or can effectively use. This leads to a condition called hyperthyroidism. This hormone has different effects all over the body.

No one knows exactly how or why Graves’ disease can lead to TED in some people. However, about 25 percent of those with TED either have Graves’ disease or are diagnosed with it later.

Graves’ disease and an overactive thyroid can cause many symptoms, including:

• Feeling anxious or irritable
• Shaking or trembling, especially in the hands or fingers
• Losing weight, even if you’re eating more than usual
• Having an enlarged thyroid gland

If you think you have Graves’ disease or TED, talk to an endocrinologist. They can run simple tests for diagnosis or refer you to a thyroid specialist who can help.

Celebrities With Thyroid Eye Disease

Here are four celebrities who currently live, or have lived, with TED.

1. Gail Devers

Gail Devers noticed something was wrong when she was a collegiate track star. She started shaking, feeling extremely tired, and having problems with her eyes. Eventually, she lost a lot of weight, and her skin even started peeling.

Devers competed in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, without a diagnosis. It wasn’t until 1990 that someone noticed that her thyroid was visible on her neck. After treatment, she felt better, but her eyes still bothered her during the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Her vision was blurry, and she had some double vision. It took nearly 30 years for Devers to learn she also had TED.

Now, Devers speaks about TED whenever she can. She told People magazine, “I don't want anyone to have to go through what I went through. I’ve got a baton full of knowledge and want to pass it on to help people advocate for their health.”

2. Wendy Williams

Talk show host Wendy Williams is another celebrity who lives with both Graves’ disease and TED. In February 2018, Williams announced she had been living with Graves’ disease for many years. At that time, she decided to take a three-week break from her show to focus on her health. She took a few additional breaks in 2019 and 2020 before stepping down from the show in 2021 due to her ongoing health issues.

While Williams hasn’t clearly separated her experiences with Graves’ disease and TED, she has mentioned symptoms that align with TED, including pressure on the muscles behind her eyes. Williams hasn’t spoken about Graves’ or TED much in recent years, likely because she is also living with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.

3. Missy Elliott

Missy Elliott is a rapper, songwriter, and music producer. She first became famous in the early 2000s but then seemed to disappear from the music scene. Later, Elliott shared she was feeling very sick and was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. Elliott lost a lot of weight, and the illness took a toll on her mental health, so she took a break from the public eye until she felt better. She reported experiencing several symptoms of Graves’ disease, including eye problems.

Now, Elliott seems to be doing much better. She told Y! Entertainment, “I’m feeling so much better now. Every now and then, you get a little ache in the leg or the knee, but outside of that, I feel good.”

4. Marty Feldman

Marty Feldman was a British comedian who also lived with both Graves’ disease and TED. Feldman is actually known for his protruding eyes, which he used to enhance his comedy. Feldman’s bulging eyes were more pronounced than what most people with TED experience, partly because, in addition to TED and Graves’, he had complications from surgery after a car accident when he was young.

Feldman gained fame for his comedic writing for the BBC in the 1950s and 1960s. He had his own comedy show and worked with the Monty Python crew. He also played a main role in the movie Young Frankenstein.

Celebrities With Graves’ Disease

Although Graves’ and TED are related, some people only have Graves’ disease. Here are three celebrities who have Graves’ disease but don’t have TED.

1. Daisy Ridley

Actress Daisy Ridley lives with Graves’ disease but has not experienced any eye-related symptoms. Ridley felt terrible when she was diagnosed and experienced a racing heart, hand tremors, extreme fatigue, and weight loss while also feeling anxious and irritable. With the help of her health care providers, she created a treatment plan that included lifestyle changes and soon started feeling better.

2. Sia

Singer Sia was diagnosed with Graves’ disease in 2010. Her symptoms included diarrhea and significant shaking. She believed that stress from being in the music business contributed to the condition, although the exact cause of Grave’s disease is unknown. While she hasn’t shared much about her treatment or how she feels now, her ability to discuss it suggests that she has improved since her diagnosis.

3. Kirani James

Kirani James, an Olympic sprinter from Grenada, was diagnosed with Graves’ disease after posting his slowest time in nine years in 2017. James found inspiration in the story of Gail Devers and her journey with the disease, which motivated him not to give up on sprinting, even when he felt at his worst.

James hasn’t gone into detail about his treatment, but he has mentioned that he takes medication. It took him about two years to feel like himself again after his diagnosis. After the initial phase of treatment, he returned to running and has continued to train and compete as an Olympic athlete.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On TEDhealthteam, the social network for people living with thyroid eye disease and their loved ones, members ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with those who understand life with TED.

Do you know of any other celebrities with thyroid eye disease or Graves’ disease? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.