Purpose
To investigate changes in ocular biomechanical response parameters and intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) undergoing orbital decompression or anterior blepharotomy.
Methods
Eighty-three eyes from 46 patients receiving orbital decompression (the orbital decompression group) and 45 eyes from 28 patients receiving anterior blepharotomy (the anterior blepharotomy group) were retrospectively enrolled from a tertiary center. Corvis ST tonometry was used to assess ocular biomechanical response and biomechanically corrected IOP (bIOP) pre- and postoperatively. Non-contact tonometry (IOP-NCT) was also performed.
Results
In the anterior blepharotomy group, the margin reflex distance decreased (
P
< 0001). The highest concavity radius (
P
= 0.026) and whole eye movement (
P
= 0.003) increased. Neither IOP-NCT nor bIOP had a significant change. In the orbital decompression group, the extent of exophthalmos decreased (
P
< 0.001). The A2 length (
P
= 0.009) decreased. The bIOP did not show a significant change (16.4 ± 2.7 vs. 16.7 ± 4.5;
P
= 0.415), but the IOP-NCT decreased significantly (17.5 ± 3.3 vs. 16.0 ± 3.3;
P
< 0.001). Higher baseline IOP-NCT (β = −0.40,
P
< 0.001) and greater reduction in stiffness parameter A1 (SP-A1; β = 0.05,
P
= 0.002) were associated with more significant IOP-NCT reduction after the orbital decompression.
Conclusions
Ocular biomechanical response parameters may change after TED surgery, potentially affecting IOP measurements, particularly in patients receiving orbital decompression.