MEASUREMENTS OF SACCADES IN THYROID-ASSOC IATED OPHTHALMOPATHY

Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is evaluated mainly by orthopt ic examination and morphometric parameters such as ultrasound, CT scan ning or magnetic resonance imaging. Inflammatory changes of the extrao cular muscles lead to an impairment of eye movement. Recent evidence s uggests that saccades are altered by changes to the extraocular muscle s. Although of potential interest, this phenomenon has so far received little attention. To determine the role of saccades as a potential di agnostic tool for assessing the function of the affeced muscles, we ha ve begun to analyze saccadic parameters in patients with TAO. Prelimin ary results of this study are reported in the present paper. For regis tration of bath horizontal and vertical eye movements, we used the ''O ber-2-Apparatus,'' which uses the infrared technique. Horizontal and v ertical saccades with an amplitude of 10 degrees were analyzed in 20 h ealthy persons and 30 patients suffering from TAO. Patients showed cha nges in the quality of saccades, such as the appearance of glissades a nd additional correctional saccades as well as quantitative changes, s uch as an increase in the maximum speed and latency. Our current data suggest the presence of saccadic alterations in TAO. Our ongoing studi es are designed to evaluate whether characteristic changes can be assi gned to certain stages of the disease and whether assessment of saccad ic changes in a promising tool for early detection and Functional foll ow-up in patients with TAO.