Impact of Graves Disease on Ocular Surface and Corneal Epithelial Thickness in Patients With and Without Graves Orbitopathy

Our aim was to assess ocular surface and tear film stability and corneal epithelial thickness (CET) in patients with Graves disease (GD) with and without Graves orbitopathy (GO).

This study included healthy age-matched controls and patients with GD. Symptoms (Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire) and signs (schirmer test and tear breakup time test) of dry eye disease were determined, according to the International Dry Eye Workshop II criteria of DED. CET map was also assessed.

Twenty-four eyes were included in the control group, with a mean age of 41.00 ± 13.65 years, and 34 in the GD group, 18 with GO and 16 without GO, with a mean age of 44.44 ± 13.95 and 45.75 ± 10.59 years, respectively. All patients with GO had inactive disease (mean clinical activity score: 1.33 ± 0.69). Patients with GD had higher proportion of clinical diagnosis of dry eye disease (GO vs. GD without GO vs. controls: 77.77% vs. 75.00% vs. 4.17%), with higher Ocular Surface Disease Index (GO vs. GD without GO vs. controls: 15.44 vs. 15.06 vs. 9.88) and lower tear breakup time test (GO vs. GD without GO vs. controls: 6.33 s vs. 7.25 s vs. 11.63 s). Superior CET was lower in patients with GD (P < 0.05). No differences were found between patients with and without GO (P > 0.05).

GD negatively influenced ocular surface and CET, with a higher level of eye dryness and corneal thinning regardless of GO status, suggesting that subclinical chronic inflammation may play a role in the pathogenesis of tear film and ocular surface stability.