Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disorder associated with goitre, hyperthyroidism and in about 30% of patients  clinically evident orbitopathy which in most patients is mild and transient. A few patients develop visual disturbances with significant disfigurement. Severe Graves’ Orbitopathy is relatively rare (5% of patients with Graves’ disease), but may require aggressive and prolonged treatment. Patients with milder forms of the disease have impaired quality of life. The management of Graves’ orbitopathy is often difficult and the results of treatment disappointing.

Many centres in Europe and elsewhere, have conducted clinical studies on Graves’ orbitopathy. However, difficulties in recruiting large numbers of patients have frustrated attempts to determine the role of several available treatments reported anecdotally to be of benefit.

To overcome these limitations, nine European Centres joined forces in 1999 and founded EUGOGO (European Group On Graves’ Orbitopathy).
These Centres share a commitment to improve the management of Graves’ orbitopathy, have a good track record in clinical research in this field, are regional or national referral Centres for the treatment of this disease and manage patients in a multidisciplinary setting with input from endocrinologists and ophthalmologists.