AIM:To investigate the dry eye prevalence, tear film function and corneal status in patients with thyroid associated ophthalmopathy(TAO).

METHODS: Totally 218 patients(436 eyes)with TAO admitted to our hospital from September 2014 to August 2016 were selected and divided into two groups according to TAO's clinical activity score(CAS): score≥ 4 divided into active patients, 72 cases of 144 eyes; score <4 points were inactive patients, a total of 146 cases of 292 eyes; according to the patient's course of the situation was divided into three groups, less than 1a for the short course of disease, a total of 133 cases of 266 eyes; course of disease in the 1-2a in the medium course group, there were 40 eyes of 80 eyes and 45 eyes of 90 eyes in more than 2a, as long course group. Contrast patients were examined by corneal fluorescein staining(FL), tear film break-up time(BUT)and tear secretion test(SⅠt)Happening.

RESULTS: In 218 patients, 138 cases of 276 eyes were diagnosed as dry eye. The prevalence rate of active period patients was higher than that of inactive patients, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). The prevalence rate in the short course group was higher than that of the middle course group and the long course group, and the difference was statistically significant compared with that in long course group(P<0.05). There was no significant difference between any two of the three groups in BUT and SⅠt detection(P>0.05), and the differences was statistically significant in the detection of FL(P<0.05). The differences of FL, BUT and SⅠt between the inactive patients and the active patients were statistically significant(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Most patients with TAO have inadequate tear secretion and tear film instability. The corneal epithelium of 1/3 TAO patients is damaged and the incidence of dry eye disease is significantly higher than that of normal subjects.