Assessment of visual acuity, refraction changes, and proptosis in different ages of patients with thyroid diseases

Abstract

Objective. The aim of the study was to assess visual acuity, refractive status, and eye proptosis in children and young adults with Graves' disease. Material and Methods. We have done investigations of visual acuity, refraction, and eye proptosis in 16 children, 14 teenagers, and 49 adults with Graves' disease at Eye Clinic of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Medical Academy. Data were compared with 14 children, 14 teenagers, and 35 adults of similar age without the same diseases (control group). Results. In the present study we observed a significant decrease of visual acuity in teenagers (0.73 ± 0.18, P = 0.001) and adults (0.7 ± 0.16, P = 0.001) with Graves' disease. Myopia was ascertained more frequent in teenagers (42.8 percent) and adults (44.9 percent) with Graves' disease. In our study exophthalmometer values were higher in children (15.94 ± 1.98 mm, P = 0.003), teenagers (17.28 ± 2.99 mm, P = 0.01), and adults (18.05 ± 2.91 mm, P = 0.001) in comparison with the controls. Conclusions. The data we have found suggest that Graves' disease in children, teenagers, and adults has influence on vision acuity, refraction, and eye proptosis. © 2012 J. Jankauskiene and D. Jarusaitiene.