[Graves' ophthalmopathy]

Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is a chronic autoimmune process that affects the retrobulbar tissue and has strong etiological links with graves' disease. Pathogenesis is incompletely understood. Symptoms include proptosis, extraocular muscle dysfunction, eyelid swelling and retraction. In its severe expression, it is a disfiguring and potentially sight threatening disease that profoundly influences and impairs the quality of life of affected individuals. Only a minority of patients develop severe expressions of the disease, requiring aggressive treatments. Glucocorticoids, orbital radiotherapy and decompressive orbital surgery represent a mainstay and a well established treatment for severe and active GO.