First Lady Gets Radiation to Help Eyes

WASHINGTON —  First Lady Barbara Bush, plagued by double vision and watery, bloodshot eyes from a thyroid condition, underwent new radiation treatment today at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater told reporters after the First Lady returned from the hospital “she looks fine and said she feels fine.”

Anna Perez, the First Lady’s press secretary, announced that doctors recommended the new treatment to relieve “persistent eye symptoms” from Graves’ disease, a thyroid disorder.

Mrs. Bush went to the Washington area hospital at 6:30 a.m. today for the start of a 10-day daily out-patient radiation therapy, which will be applied for 10 minutes in each treatment, Perez said.

The First Lady has been suffering for a year from Graves’ disease, first noticed around the time of her husband’s inauguration.

So far she has undergone two separate treatments, which have failed to heal her ailment. Several months ago she was given a radioactive treatment designed to destroy her thyroid gland. Afterward, daily doses of prednisone, a steroid, were administered to compensate for the thyroid.

Perez said the new therapy will be applied to her orbits, the bony canals behind the eyes containing swollen muscles. “This swelling,” Perez added, “has caused the double vision, tearing and discomfort, which Mrs. Bush is experiencing.”

She said the radiation treatment is expected to relieve the swelling. Mrs. Bush also is expected to be gradually taken off prednisone, which causes side effects such as water retention.

Immediately following the destruction of the thyroid gland Mrs. Bush underwent a dramatic weight loss. Later, after taking prednisone, she began to look puffy and gained weight, and the symptoms persisted.

Perez said Mrs. Bush, who has a heavy January schedule, will carry out her normal schedule.