Graves' ophthalmopathy

The Graves' ophthalmopathy consists of all the pathological changes in orbital tissues, preceding, accompanying of following hyperthyroidism. Although ophthalmopathy has its clinical expression only in 50% of patients with Graves disease, the ultrasound exploration and the CT scan of the orbital area, as well as the values of intraocular pressure showed that occult changes exist in all patients. The etiopathological autoimmune mechanism responsible of ophthalmopathy doesn't imply the same autoantibodies, though ophthalmopathy is associated with thyrotoxicosis, and the degree of ocular changes is not related to the level of autoantibodies directed against the TSH receptors nor to the level of antibodies involved in thyroid cells' growth. It occurs that there exist two different autoimmune mechanisms. The ocular prognosis depends on the amplitude and the duration of the ocular changes, the functional state, the presence of complications. Good results are conditioned by the precocity of the treatment. The treatment in Graves' ophthalmopathy consists of local and endocrinological treatment.