Thyroid Eye Disease

Abstract

Thyroid eye disease (TED) can be a debilitating disorder that occurs in the setting of autoimmune thyroid disease. Clinical manifestations commonly include eyelid retraction, exposure keratitis, exophthalmos, and restrictive strabismus. Patients frequently complain of dry eyes, photophobia, and excessive lacrimation. While the exact relationship between the thyroid and orbit is not fully understood, recent research has shown that orbital tissues are infiltrated by immunocompetent cells which subsequently causes orbital extraocular muscle and connective tissue expansion. Numerous cell types and molecular mediators have been found to be involved in its pathogenesis, and early trials targeting various immunomodulators as disease-modifying therapy have shown promising results.