THYROID ORBITOPATHY IN CHILDREN: WHY SO BENIGN?

Ophthalmologists are familiar with the vision threatening and ocular motility defects associated with thyroid orbitopathy. Although children are affected by hyperthyroid disease less frequently than adults, a study by Chan and co-workers from Hong Kong emphasises that they do develop some complications. However, the complications are mild indeed and comprise, primarily, conjunctival irritation, lid position change, and proptosis. In none of the 83 patients studied was vision threatened and none of the patients developed strabismus in primary gaze. It would be of interest to understand why hyperthyroid disease in children promotes such a relatively modest reaction …