ABSTRACT
Dysthyroid eye disease (thyroid associated ophthalmopathy) is a chronic condition, characterized by inflammation and an increased volume of the retrobulbar orbital contents, particularly the extraocular muscles, with consequent proptosis, limitation of eye movements, periorbital swelling, and the potential for optic nerve compression. More than 25 names are associated with dysthyroid eye disease, including those relating to early detailed clinical descriptions, such as Caleb Parry (1825), Robert Graves (1835), and Carl von Basedow (1840). Dysthyroid eye disease is an autoimmune disease strongly associated with autoimmune thyrotoxicosis. It is part of the spectrum of autoimmune thyroid disease: nearly all patients with ophthalmopathy have a demonstrable thyroid disorder, and most patients with autoimmune Graves thyroid disease have orbital abnormalities. Although severe disease is uncommon, mild disease is present in most patients with autoimmune thyrotoxicosis. The clinical effects are produced by inflammation and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) accumulation within orbital tissues.
