Epiphora, a symptom of early hypothyroidism.

AMONG the many signs of hypothyroidism, puffiness of the eye-lids is a familiar feature of the facial appearance, but watering of the eyes is not usually reported as a prominent symptom. Recently we have seen five patients who presented to an oculist complaining of watering of the eyes in whom there was found evidence of hypothyroidism and whose symptoms were relieved by the administration of thyroid extract. In two other cases which presented to physicians, one of primary hypothyroidism and the other of hypopituitarism, watering of the eyes and puffiness of the lids were prominent symptoms which responded to treatment with thyroid extract.