Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is correlated to thyroid disease. Its clinical features are the accumula-tion of glycosaminoglycan(GAG),exophthalmos,upper eyelid retraction and diplopia. TAO have active and inactive stage according to symptoms,signs and other assistant examinations,but all of the examinations have the influence of patients and doctors. In recent years,the researches of cytokine,adhesion molecule and GAG give extensive prospect in TAO. This paper reviewed the value of cytokine,adhesion molecule and GAG in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy. 