A Mother’s Joy Turns to a Rare Autoimmune Battle

In 2001, Debby Erney and her husband Bob legally adopted two infant sisters, Katie and Patty, in Toledo, Ohio. Within weeks of bringing the girls home, Debby awoke with dramatically bulging eyes, facial swelling and bruised-looking skin. She initially suspected an allergic reaction, but her symptoms worsened throughout the day. After a primary-care visit, blood work confirmed Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that over-activates the thyroid gland. An ophthalmologist soon referred her to an oculoplastic surgeon specializing in thyroid eye disease (TED).

Newsweek

Graves’ disease can affect the eyes in roughly one-third of patients, yet only about 5 percent develop the moderate-to-severe form that threatens vision, according to the American Thyroid Association. TED manifests as bulging eyes, double vision, pain, light sensitivity and, in extreme cases, loss of sight. Early intervention is critical to preserve visual function.

Newsweek

Debby’s initial care included prism lenses to reduce double vision, followed by orbital decompression, strabismus and eyelid surgeries. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved teprotumumab (brand name Tepezza) in 2020, offering a targeted intravenous therapy for TED. After a period of inactivity, the disease resurfaced in 2023, prompting additional surgery, radiation, steroids and a course of Tepezza. Throughout the decades, Debby has navigated fluctuating vision—some days she can read a book, other days she relies on audiobooks.

Newsweek

The condition forced Debby to stop driving after a serious car accident and to lean heavily on her husband and family for daily tasks. Her daughters, now adults, learned early to assist her, even before they could speak. Despite the physical and emotional strain, Debby reports no regrets about adoption and recently celebrated becoming a grandmother. She emphasizes the isolating nature of TED and hopes greater awareness will foster empathy for those living with the disease.

Newsweek

• “The moment the judge declared us to be their parents, and them to be our children, was the most-remarkable experience,” — Debby

Newsweek

• “I thought maybe I’d had an allergic reaction to a bug bite or something,” — Debby

Newsweek

• “The ophthalmologist did eye measurements and attempted to refract my eyes to ease my double vision by providing me [with] prism lenses,” — Debby

Newsweek

• “When they were babies, they learned to help me,” — Debby

Newsweek

• “Throughout my journey, in particular with raising the kids, I have tried to give them every possible experience,” — Debby

Newsweek