Thyroid-related eye disease most commonly occurs in cases of Graves' disease, but the eye may also be involved in other forms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism or may be affected in patients who are clinically and chemically euthyroid. The condition is believed to be caused by the action of cross-reacting antibodies on orbital fibroblasts or related muscle tissue.
Most patients have only mild symptoms, such as irritation in both eyes and cosmetic concerns.
Conversely, severe cases of thyroid-related eye disease may result in double vision or even loss of vision. Treatment may range from use of lubricants to steroid therapy and surgical decompression. Systemic steroid therapy may benefit patients with thyroid-related optic neuropathy. In addition to orbital decompression, irradiation may be helpful in certain patients. The number of new cases of malignant melanoma diagnosed each year worldwide is estimated to be 7.8 per 100,000 men and 12.3 per 100,000 women, and this incidence is increasing.