Purpose: To study the effect of extraocular muscle surgery on intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.
Design: Retrospective, observational case series.
Methods: The medical records of patients with restrictive myopathy secondary to thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy who underwent strabismus surgery from July 1, 1997 through July 31, 2003 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Seventeen patients met the criteria and were included in this study. All patients were seen at the Thyroid Eye Center at the University of California, San Diego, a university-based tertiary referral center. The main outcome measure was IOP readings obtained before and after surgery in both primary gaze and upgaze.
Results: A statistically significant decrease in IOP in upgaze was noted after extraocular muscle recession. The mean IOP before surgery was 16.6 +/- 3.78 mm Hg in primary gaze and 23.2 +/- 7.27 mm Hg in upgaze. After strabismus surgery, the mean IOP after one month was 15.7 +/- 2.36 mm Hg (P = .215) in primary gaze and 18.9 +/- 2.96 mm Hg in upgaze (P = .001).
Conclusions: Strabismus surgery resulted in a significant reduction in IOP in the early postoperative period in patients with restrictive myopathy secondary to thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.