Graves’ orbitopathy: lessons from Representational Art

Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) is an autoimmune orbital disorder which occurs most commonly in patients with Graves’ disease, less frequently in patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. Full-blown GO is characterized by exophthalmos, swelling and inflammation of periorbital soft tissues, extraocular muscle dysfunction (responsible for diplopia) and may evolve into relevant functional and disfiguring sequelae which impair quality of life. GO may very rarely sight-threatening due to optic neuropathy or corneal breakdown. This study reviews a series of articles dealing with figurative works of art (sculpture and painting) from the Hellenistic age up to a few years ago, that represent real-life individuals or ideal models with features of GO. Clinical evaluation and a hypothetical ideal treatment is proposed for some selected subjects who appear in the portraits, based on updated clinical and management criteria.