Skip to main content
Log in

Evaluation of endocrine ophthalmopathy with saccadic eye movements

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Horizontal saccades were examined in 25 patients with hyperthyroidism and/or endocrine ophthalmopathy (EOP) using the infrared reflection method. With one exception none had restriction of horizontal eye movements. Conventional saccadic parameters were usually normal. A standardized test for muscle fatigue, however, gave pathological results in all but one of the patients with EOP, and also in three of seven patients with hyperthyroidism but no clinical EOP. In one of the latter the oculographic abnormality disappeared with treatment, while another developed clinical EOP. Performing a saccadic fatigue test seems to be useful for detecting early EOP and especially for monitoring its course.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Abel LA, Schmidt D, Dell'Osso LF, Daroff RB (1978) Saccadic system plasticity in humans. Ann Neurol 4:313–318

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bahill AT, Stark L (1975) Overlapping saccades and glissades are produced by fatigue in the saccadic eye movement system. Exp Neurol 48:95–106

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bahill AT, Clark MR, Stark L (1975) Dynamic overshoot in saccadic eye movements is caused by neurological control signal reversals. Exp Neurol 48:107–122

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bahill AT, Brockenbrough A, Troost BT (1981) Variability and development of a normative data base for saccadic eye movements. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 21:116–125

    Google Scholar 

  5. Boghen D, Troost BT, Daroff RB, Dell'Osso LF, Birkett JE (1974) Velocity characteristics of normal human saccades. Invest Ophthalmol 13:619–623

    Google Scholar 

  6. Dallow RL, Momose KJ, Weber AL, Wray SH (1976) Comparison of ultrasonography, computerized tomography (EMI SCAN), and radiographic techniques in evaluation of exophthalmos. Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol 81:305–322

    Google Scholar 

  7. Enzmann D, Marshall WH, Rosenthal AR, Kriss JP (1976) Computed tomography in Graves' ophthalmopathy. Radiology 118:615–620

    Google Scholar 

  8. Feldon SE, Unsöld R (1982) Graves' ophthalmopathy evaluated by infrared eye-movement recordings. Arch Ophthalmol 100:324–328

    Google Scholar 

  9. Feldon SE, Weiner JM (1982) Clinical significance of extraocular muscle volumes in Graves' ophthalmopathy. Arch Ophthalmol 100:1266–1269

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gamblin GT, Harper DG, Galentine P, Buck DR, Chernow B, Eil C (1983) Prevalence of increased intraocular pressure in Graves' disease. Evidence of frequent subclinical ophthalmopathy. N Engl J Med 308:420–424

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gorman CA (1983) Temporal relationship between onset of Graves' ophthalmopathy and diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis. Mayo Clin Proc 58:515–519

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hall R, Ford J, Manson N (1967) Ophthalmic Graves' disease. In: Irvine WJ (ed) Thyrotoxicosis. E and S Livingstone, Edinburgh London, pp 210–220

    Google Scholar 

  13. Hermann JS (1982) Paretic thyroid myopathy. Ophthalmology 89:473–478

    Google Scholar 

  14. Ivy HK (1972) Medical approach to ophthalmopathy of Graves' disease. Mayo Clin Proc 47:980–985

    Google Scholar 

  15. Jensen SF (1971) Endocrine ophthalmoplegia. Is it due to myopathy or to mechanical immobilization? Acta Ophthalmol 49:679–684

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kommerell G, Olivier D, Theopold H (1976) Adaptive programming of phasic and tonic components in saccadic eye movements. Investigations in patients with abducens palsy. Invest Ophthalmol 15:657–660

    Google Scholar 

  17. Manor RS, Kurz O, Lewitus Z (1974) Intraocular pressure in endocrinological patients with exophthalmos. Ophthalmologica 168:241–252

    Google Scholar 

  18. Metz HS (1977) Saccadic velocity studies in patients with endocrine ocular disease. Am J Ophthalmol 84:695–699

    Google Scholar 

  19. Neumann E, Pollak A, Friedman Z, Zeevi YY (1981) Latency of horizontal saccadic eye movements in thyrotoxicosis. Metab Pediatr Syst Ophthalmol 5:111–115

    Google Scholar 

  20. Nikoskelainen E, Enzmann DR, Sogg RL, Rosenthal AR (1977) Computerized tomography of the orbits. Acta Ophthalmol 55:885–900

    Google Scholar 

  21. Schmidt D, Abel LA, Dell'Osso LF, Daroff RB (1979) Saccadic velocity characteristics: intrinsic variability and fatigue. Aviat Space Environ Med 50:393–395

    Google Scholar 

  22. Sergott RC, Glaser JS (1981) Graves' ophthalmopathy. A clinical and immunologic review. Surv Ophthalmol 26:1–21

    Google Scholar 

  23. Solomon DH, Chopra IJ, Chopra U, Smith FJ (1977) Identification of subgroups of euthyroid Graves' ophthalmopathy. N Engl J Med 296:181–186

    Google Scholar 

  24. Spoor TC, Kennerdell JS (1981) Thyrotropin-releasing hormone test and the diagnosis of dysthyroid ophthalmopathy. Ann Ophthalmol 13:443–445

    Google Scholar 

  25. Stark L, Vossius G, Young LR (1962) Predictive control of eye tracking movements. In: Institute of Radio Engineering Transactions on Human Factors in Electronics, HFE-3, pp 52–57

  26. Trokel SL, Jakobiec FA (1981) Correlation of CT scanning and pathologic features of ophthalmic Graves' disease. Ophthalmology 88:553–564

    Google Scholar 

  27. Werner SC (1977) Modification of the classification of the eye changes of Graves' disease. Am J Ophthalmol 83:725–727

    Google Scholar 

  28. Werner SC, Coleman DJ, Franzen LA (1974) Ultrasonographic evidence of a consistent orbital involvement in Graves' disease. N Engl J Med 290:1447–1450

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mauri, L., Meienberg, O., Roth, E. et al. Evaluation of endocrine ophthalmopathy with saccadic eye movements. J Neurol 231, 182–187 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313935

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00313935

Key words

Navigation