Anti-inflammatory agents, particularly corticosteroids, have been used when ophthalmopathy is progressing rapidly. In the past, immunosuppressive agents such as Azathioprine or cyclophosphamide were used to treat Graves' disease. The success of such treatment is uncertain but it is still occasionally used for recalcitrant cases. The general sequence of surgical procedures performed in the patient with Graves' disease is orbital decompression, strabismus surgery, and eyelid surgery. The rationale for this sequence is that decompression surgery may affect ocular motility and eyelid position, and strabismus surgery may alter eyelid position.
Optic neuropathy is treated with steroids, radiation, and orbital decompression surgery.
W.B. Saunders, 1994. W.B. Saunders, 1994. Duke-Elder S. System of Ophthalmology, vol 13. Management of Thyroid-Eye Disease. Textbook of medical physiology, 9th ed.