Clinical Ocular Features in Children and Young Adults with Thyroid Diseases

The study of clinical ocular manifestations recruited 105 patients who presented to the Endocrine and Eye clinics of Lithuanian University of Medical Sciences with a history of thyroid diseases. The study comprised two groups of patients: the group I included 36 patients (under 18 years) and the group II-69 (from 18 to 34 years). As the control group, 25 children and 30 young adults of similar age without thyroid, eye and systemic diseases were selected. A comprehensive ophthalmic assessment including patient’s complaints, best-corrected Snellen visual acuity, ocular motility, proptosis measurements, intraocular pressure (IOP), eyelid signs (lid aperture, lid retraction), slit lamp and fundus investigation was performed. Our investigation confirms that in children with thyroid diseases ocular symptoms and signs such as upper eyelid retraction, stare and mild proptosis were predominant. Young adults with thyroid diseases complained of foreign body sensation, photosensitivity and pain. There was manifestation of eyelid retraction, eyelid oedema and redness, conjunctival redness and chemosis, eyelid retraction, proptosis and widened palpebral fissure. A small number of young adults with thyroid diseases suffered from severe ocular complications as keratopathy, diplopia. This examination may be useful in early diagnosis of ocular changes in children and young adults with thyroid diseases.