Thyroid Eye Disease: Addressing the Need for Early Intervention and Comanagement

Target Audience
The intended audience for this activity is endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, and other health care professionals involved in the management of people with thyroid eye disease (TED).

Program Overview
Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a multifactorial, autoimmune disorder with a wide spectrum of signs and symptoms. It is frequently misdiagnosed, due to both the heterogeneous clinical presentation and a failure on the part of clinicians to understand the relationship between TED and hyperthyroidism. Misdiagnosis can place patients at increased risk for complications; however, a differential diagnosis can be achieved with the assistance of imaging. Early diagnosis and treatment can limit disfigurement and reduce vision loss. Endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, and other health care professionals involved in the management of patients with TED should be knowledgeable about both conventional and new therapies available for the treatment of patients with TED and how to apply this information into practice. In this case-based activity, expert faculty discuss the need for early intervention and comanagement as well as available treatment options for patients with TED.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

Review evidence-based recommendations regarding the differentiation and assessment of disease activity to aid in earlier diagnosis, classification, and treatment of thyroid eye disease.
Assess current evidence regarding the efficacy, safety, benefits, and limitations of conventional and new therapies for the treatment of thyroid eye disease.
Summarize best practices for treatment and referral that can improve the multidisciplinary comanagement of patients with thyroid eye disease.