Optic nerve involvement in Graves' ophthalmopathy: a case report and review.
Optic neuropathy in Graves' disease is an uncommon, but potentially treatable cause of disabling visual loss. Optic nerve damage is probably secondary to compression by swollen extraocular muscles at the apex of the orbit. The visual loss is usually bilateral and insidiously progressive, although accelerated visual loss, fluctuations in vision, and features mimicking orbital cellulitis may occur. Ocular congestive symptoms and proptosis have no direct relationship to the severity of visual loss. Early diagnosis is facilitated by orbital CT scanning. Oral corticosteroids and radiotherapy, alone or in combination, are the primary modalities of medical treatment. Surgical decompression of the orbit can be used where medical approaches have failed.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009915:Orbit / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields