Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the tear-film meniscus with optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with Graves’ disease (GD).
Materials and methods: Patients with GD without clinical features of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) (Group 1, n = 35), patients with signs of TAO (Group 2, n = 31) and healthy participants (Group 3, n = 31) were enrolled. Palpebral fissure width, Schirmer test, tear break-up time (TBUT) test and tear-film meniscus height and area obtained with Fourier-domain-OCT were analyzed.
Results: TBUT test scores were 8 s (2–25) in Group 1, 8 s (2–15) in Group 2 (p = 0.380); and10 s (5–17) in Group 3 (p = 0.000 Group 1 versus 3, and 0.000 for Group 2 versus 3). Tear-film meniscus height did not significantly differ between Groups 1 and 2 (257.5 µm (86–962) and 258 µm (99–1340), respectively, p = 0.980). In Group 3, tear-film meniscus height was 316 µm (122–720) (p = 0.005 Group 1 versus 3 and 0.004 for Group 2 versus 3). Tear-film meniscus area did not significantly differ between Groups 1 and 2 (0.025 mm2 (0.004–0.250) and 0.024 mm2 (0.003–0.316), respectively, p = 0.850). In Group 3, tear-film meniscus area was 0.048 mm2 (0.006–0.75) (p = 0.000 Group 1 versus 3 and 0.000 for Group 2 versus 3).
Conclusion: Tear function is significantly disturbed in GD. OCT is an effective way to assess the tearing function also in patients with GD.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Cagla Sariturk for statistical analysis.