Endocrine ophthalmopathy

Fortunately, the cases of this disease are quite rare, but endocrine ophthalmopathy refers to those diseases that are fully reflected in the patient's face. What is this disease and how to treat it? Endocrine ophthalmopathy refers to autoimmune diseases. It is a disease of the tissues of the orbit and the muscles of the eye. The disease occurs due to disorders in the body's immune system that lead to swelling of the muscles and subcutaneous tissue, impaired blood circulation in the vessels and structures of the muscle fibers, which leads to a pathological proliferation of connective tissue. Endocrine ophthalmopathy often occurs due to autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland. In the treatment of thyroid disease, the remission of this disease occurs.

People suffering from ophthalmopathy have such characteristic symptoms:

- a split image, an unclear picture, especially when looking sideways and up;

- Photophobia, unpleasant sensation of sand entering the eyes;

- lacrimation and a feeling of pressure in the eyes, especially in windy weather;

- unnatural protrusion of the eyeballs, or otherwise - exophthalmos.

With edematic forms of the disease, patients are observed edema of the conjunctiva and eyelids. Often with this disease and cases of ulceration of the cornea. Despite the fact that endocrine ophthalmopathy is considered quite a serious disease, effective treatment exists.

When establishing such a diagnosis, the attending physician prescribes a number of medications. Endocrine ophthalmopathy, the treatment of which includes not only taking anti-inflammatory drugs (taken orally) and diuretics (to reduce swelling), requires the intake of stimulants of neuromuscular conduction. Along with medicamental treatment, a diet is prescribed, in which the patient's intake of salt and liquid is limited.

Treatment of endocrine ophthalmopathy involves the use of such anti-inflammatory drugs as Prednisolone (Dekortin, Prednol, Metipred), Dexamethasone (Dexazon, Fortecortin, Daxin, Cortix, Novomethasone), Triamcinola acitponide (Kenacort, Kenalog, Vetalog).

Endocrine ophthalmopathy requires one of diuretics such as Acetazolamide (Diacarb, Fonurit), Furosemide (Aquatrix, Urix, Urid, Diurefics, Florix, Kinex, Furon, Lasix), Spironolactone (Spironaxan, Urakton, Veroshpiron, Spirix, Spiro, Aldactone, Furo-Aldopur, Aldopur, Spironobene, Lazilactone, Spironol), Hydrochlorothiazide (Hypothiazide, Dichlorothiazide, Designunil, Apo-Hydro).

Most often, one of these stimulators of neuromuscular conduction is prescribed: Prozerin (Sinostigmin, Myostin, Vagostigmine, Eustigmine, Metastigmine, Neozerin, Stigmosan).

When choosing the treatment of this disease, one should take into account the fact that the inflammatory process occurring during this disease is often prone to spontaneous remissions. Also, the severity and activity of the disease affects the choice of treatment. In the case of severe and moderate endocrine ophthalmopathy, a method that has proven to be safe and effective is most often used with methylprednisolone. Treatment is conducted for five days, after which a second course is possible, two weeks after the first.

Another method of therapy is X-ray therapy in the orbit region, which is often combined with treatment with glucocorticoids. Only in very severe cases of this disease can surgical intervention aimed at decompressing the orbits. Approximately in 2% of cases, this disease is characterized by a very severe course, resulting in pronounced residual events, which are most often in the inactive phase.