We have known for a long time that thyroid conditions can be linked to eye problems. This usually happens when someone has hyperthyroidism, especially if it is caused by Graves disease. The various eye problems associated thyroid dysfunction are collectively called “thyroid eye disease”. Sometimes, especially with Graves disease, the muscles behind the eye can become thickened and inflamed. One challenge is that thyroid eye disease has not been as well studied in children compared to adults. To learn more, Dr. Pesce from our Division teamed up with several ophthalmologists from the University of Iowa. They used ultrasound to examine the eye muscles of 20 children with thyroid disease. Most of the 20 children had Graves disease. Nearly all the children had abnormal enlargement of the eye muscles. Importantly, it was not possible to determine the severity of the enlargement from symptoms alone in children under 10 years of age. This suggests that referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist with thyroid eye disease expertise should be considered in young children with Graves disease. The article can be found on Pubmed at this link.