The study showed that compliance with patching plays a fundamental role in therapeutic efficacy. Thus, age at the beginning of treatment alone did not influence the success rate since it was possible to obtain good compliance independent of age. In addition, worse results were associated with severe amblyopia and less compliance.

Background. A number of orbital diseases may be evaluated based on the degree of exophthalmos, but there is still no gold standard method for the measurement of this parameter. In this study we compare two exophthalmometry measurement methods (digital photography and clinical) with regard to reproducibility and the level of correlation and agreement with measurements obtained with Computerized Tomography (CT) measurements. Methods. Seventeen patients with bilateral proptosis and 15 patients with normal orbits diseases were enrolled. Patients underwent orbital CT, Hertel exophthalmometry (HE) and standardized frontal and side facial photographs by a single trained photographer. Exophthalmometry measurements with HE, the digital photographs and axial CT scans were obtained twice by the same examiner and once by another examiner. Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) was used to assess correlations between methods. Validity between methods was assessed by mean differences, interintraclass correlation coefficients (ICC’s), and Bland–Altman plots. Results. Mean values were significantly higher in the proptosis group (34 orbits) than in the normal group (30 orbits), regardless of the method. Within each group, mean digital exophthalmometry measurements (24.32 ± 5.17 mm and 18.62 ± 3.87 mm) were significantly greater than HE measurements (20.87 ± 2.53 mm and 17.52 ± 2.67 mm) with broader range of standard deviation. Inter-/intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.95/0.93 for clinical, 0.92/0.74 for digital, and 0.91/0.95 for CT measurements. Correlation coefficients between HE and CT scan measurements in both groups of subjects (r = 0.84 and r = 0.91, p<0.05) were greater than those between digital and CT scan measurements (r = 0.61 and r = 0.75, p<0.05). On the Bland–Altman plots, HE showed better agreement to CT measurements compared to the digital photograph method in both groups studied. Conclusions. Although photographic digital exophthalmometry showed strong correlation and agreement with CT scan measurements, it still performs worse than and is not as accurate as clinical Hertel exophthalmometry. This trail is registered with NCT01999790.

To compare the surgical outcomes of inferomedial wall orbital decompression (IM-OD) and balanced medial plus lateral wall orbital decompression (ML-OD) in patients with inactive Graves' orbitopathy (GO) with regard to exophthalmos reduction and ocular motility abnormalities. METHODS: Forty-two patients with inactive GO eligible for OD were randomly assigned to either the IM-OD or ML-OD groups. Pre and postoperative evaluations included Hertel exophthalmometry, sensory, and motor extraocular motility assessment, standardized photographs in the nine gaze positions, and computed tomography (CT) of the orbits. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03278964. RESULTS: Exophthalmometry reduction was statistically significant in both groups (po0.001), but was greater in the ML-OD group (p=0.010). New-onset esotropia occurred in 11.1% and 23.5% of patients who underwent IM-OD and ML-OD, respectively, with no statistically significant difference in the frequency of pre and postoperative strabismus in either group. The mean increase in preoperative esotropia was 24 ± 6.9 and 12 ± 8.8 prism diopters in patients who underwent IM-OD and ML-OD, respectively. In the IM-OD group, abduction and elevation worsened at the first (po0.05) and third (po0.05) postoperative visits but were restored at 6 months. The versions did not change postoperatively with ML-OD. The preoperative CT-measured medial rectus muscle area predicted new-onset strabismus (p=0.023). Significant postoperative medial rectus muscle enlargement occurred in both groups (po0.001). Restriction in elevation and abduction was significantly associated with enlarged inferior (p=0.007) and medial rectus muscle areas (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: IM-OD is as safe as ML-OD with regard to new-onset strabismus, and represents a good alternative for patients who do not require significant exophthalmos reduction. ML-OD offers greater exophthalmos reduction and smoother postoperative recovery. Patients with preoperative enlarged medial rectus muscle on CT are at risk for new-onset esotropia, and preoperative esotropia is likely to increase after OD.

Purpose. To assess the agreement between the qualitative clinical method and the quantitative photographic method of evaluating normal and abnormal ocular versions in patients with inactive Graves’ orbitopathy (GO). Methods. Forty-two patients with inactive GO had their ocular versions evaluated clinically according to three categories: normal, moderate alterations (−1 or −2 hypofunction), and severe alterations (−3 or −4 hypofunction). The subjects were photographed in the 9 positions of gaze, and the extent (mm) of eye movement in each position was estimated using Photoshop® and ImageJ and converted into degrees with a well-established method. The agreement between the two methods (qualitative vs. quantitative) for classifying ocular versions as normal or abnormal was assessed. Results. The mean quantitative measurements of versions were significantly different for each clinical category (normal, moderate alterations, and severe alterations) in the following five positions: abduction, adduction, elevation in abduction, elevation, and elevation in adduction (p<0.001). No such pattern was observed for the three infraversion positions (depression in abduction, p=0.573; depression, p=0.468; depression in adduction, p=0.268). Conclusion. The agreement was strong between the quantitative photographic method and the qualitative clinical method of classifying ocular versions, especially in lateral and supraversions, which are typically affected in GO. Digital photography is recommended for the assessment of ocular versions due to its practicality, suitability for telemedicine applications, and ease of monitoring during follow-up. This trial is registered with NCT03278964.

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Leite, CA. Effect of surgical correction of exophthalmos on extrinsic ocular motility in patients with Graves' orbitopathy: comparison between inferior-medial wall orbital decompression and balanced medial plus lateral wall orbital decompression [thesis]. São Paulo: "