Dry eye syndrome in thyroid‐associated ophthalmo‐ pathy: lacrimal expression of TSH receptor suggests involvement of TSHR‐specific autoantibodies

Abstract

As ocular surface damage in TAO significantly correlates with reduced tear production, LG impairment appears to be a major cause of ocular surface drying. Intriguingly, physiological expression of TSHR by LG suggests that, in thyroid disease, autoantibodies may bind to lacrimal TSHR and, perhaps via aberrant signal transduction, contribute to LG impairment and, hence, dry eye syndrome.