RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s first clinic for Thyroid Eye Disease has opened at Al Shifa Trust Eye Hospital, providing specialised care for a condition that affects millions but is often misdiagnosed. The new facility combines eye and thyroid care under one roof, offering patients comprehensive treatment.
According to the details, the clinic was inaugurated by the President of Al-Shifa Trust, retired Maj Gen Rehmat Khan.
Speaking to the media, he said the clinic focuses on patients with thyroid-related eye problems, which are often overlooked or treated late. He stressed that early diagnosis and regular monitoring are essential to prevent serious complications.
Thyroid disease affects an estimated three to five per cent of Pakistan’s population, mostly women. Of these, around 25–40 per cent may develop eye complications, meaning roughly 14 million Pakistanis could be affected. Studies in Lahore indicate that 12–13 per cent of the population suffers from thyroid disorders.
Retired Maj Gen Rehmat Khan noted that the lack of public healthcare options has forced many patients to seek expensive private treatment, while others remain untreated.
Dr Tayyab Afghani, Head of the Orbit and Oculoplastic Department, said treatment costs can be high. Surgery may cost between Rs150,000 and Rs200,000, while regular medicines cost Rs5,000 to Rs7,000.
Advanced medicines, available only in the US, cost $16,000–$17,000 and are currently unavailable in Pakistan. Efforts are being made to work with international health organisations to bring these treatments to the country.
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Dr Afghani said that people living in far areas like Balochistan, interior Sindh, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have a hard time getting treatment. To help them, Al-Shifa will offer online doctor consultations, send mobile clinics to these areas, and train doctors in smaller towns.
He also warned that smoking worsens thyroid eye disease but public awareness is low. The hospital plans to launch campaigns to educate communities about risk factors and the importance of early treatment.
Globally, Thyroid Eye Disease affects 5–16 new people per 100,000 each year. Women are three to five times more likely to develop it than men.
In the US, around 250 out of 100,000 people have the disease; in Europe, 90–155 per 100,000; and in Asia, 100–300 per 100,000. About 20 per cent of cases have moderate to severe symptoms. The disease mainly affects adults aged 35–60 and is rare in children.
