Updated June 21, 2008.

Definition: The term ophthalmopathy refers to any disease of the eye. Graves' ophthalmopathy, or thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) refers to an autoimmune disease of the eyes that is frequently seen in Graves' disease patients.

Symptoms can range from mild light sensitivity and dryness, to swelling of the eyes, bulging eyeballs, blurred vision, double vision, corneal ulceration, optic nerve damage and even blindness.

Also Known As: thyroid ophthalmopathy, thyroid-related ophthalmopathy, thyroid eye disease (TED), thyroid orbitopathy, thyroid-related orbitopathy

Common Misspellings: opthalmopathy