Proptosis, a condition when the eyes bulge abnormally

Bulging or proptotic eyes are not easy things to notice. Especially if the protrusion occurs simultaneously on both eyeballs slowly. In fact, the symptoms of protruding eyeballs may indicate certain health problems in your body. Check out the full explanation below.

What is proptosis?

Proptosis (exophthalmos) or also known as bulging eyes is a condition that causes the eye to protrude from the socket (where the eyeball rests). This condition can occur in one or both eyes.

Bulging eyes or proptosis are most commonly caused by Graves' disease, which causes the thyroid gland to be overactive. Quoted from a journal published in the US National Library of Medicine, your eye is said to have proptosis if it protrudes more than 2 mm or larger.

If you have proptosis, there is a slight risk of your optic nerve becoming compressed. This stress on the nerves that send the signals between the eye and the brain can permanently affect your vision if not treated quickly.

What are the symptoms of proptosis?

The following are symptoms that may appear if you have proptosis (bulging eyes):

• Sore eyes
• Dry eyes
• Eye irritation
• Sensitive to light
• Watery eyes
• Blurred or double vision
• Difficulty moving your eyes

If you have severe proptosis, you may not be able to close your eyes properly. This can damage the cornea (the transparent tissue that covers part of your eye) as it dries out.

Very dry corneas can cause infections or ulcers. This can damage your eyesight if not treated immediately.

Tell your doctor right away if you see one or both of your eyes bulge, especially if you experience the above symptoms. Treatment as soon as possible can help you deal with the condition.

What are the causes of proptosis?

Eyes that look like they are bulging or a facial expression that looks like they are angry are complaints that are often heard in people who have bulging or proptotic eye conditions.

However, changes in facial expression are only a small part of the problem. This protrusion of the eyeballs may actually lead to health conditions that are more serious than just a problem with facial expressions. Loss of vision can be one of the risks that you need to be aware of.

To find out the proper treatment method, you must first find out the cause. Here are 4 causes to watch out for.

1. Graves' disease

The cause of your bulging eyes could be Graves' disease. Graves' disease is a disease that occurs when the body's immune system turns to attack itself, in this case the thyroid gland.

Eye proptosis due to a disturbance in the thyroid hormone is also called exophthalmos / eksoftalmus.

Apart from attacking the thyroid gland, the immune system also attacks the fat and muscle areas behind the eyeball. As a result, there is an enlargement of both tissues and makes the eyes protrude.

Generally, both eyeballs bulge at the same time accompanied by other signs, such as:

• Red eye
• Difficulty closing the eyelids completely
• Double vision
• In severe cases, the decrease in vision is sharp

2. The tumor is malignant or benign

There are various types of tumors that can cause the eyeball to bulge. The bulge generally occurs in one eye slowly. Some of these types of tumors include:

• Hemangioma. Benign tumors that form from a network of blood vessels. Additional examinations such as ultrasound or CT-scan are needed to determine the size of the tumor.
• Myeloid type acute leukemia. This is a type of blood cancer that can cause protrusion of one or both of the eyeballs due to the presence of cancer cells, bleeding behind the eyeball, or obstruction of venous blood flow. Bulging eyes due to this condition are treated by treating leukemia through chemotherapy.
• Retinoblastoma. Eye cancer that is often found in children with early symptoms in the form of a white color in the black area of ​​the eye (pupil). Eyeball proptosis is a late-appearing sign and generally has a lower cure rate.

3. Orbital cellulitis

Orbital cellulitis is inflammation that occurs in the eyeball and the organs around the eye. This condition is often caused by a bacterial infection.

Apart from protruding eyes, other symptoms usually include redness of the eyelids, significant visual disturbances, and intense pain.

4. Impact on the eye

A blow or blunt force blow to the eye area can cause swelling of the eyeball muscles, bleeding behind the eyeball, or breaking the bones that support the eyeball. This will cause the eyeballs to bulge.

To find out the exact cause, you certainly have to consult an ophthalmologist. No need to wait until severe or even eye proptosis appears, regular checkups can also make you anticipate what might happen.

What are the treatment options for treating proptosis?

Many of the symptoms of thyroid eye disease (Graves' disease) tend to get better with time. However, it is possible that the eye will continue to bulge if it is not treated surgically.

Some people with untreated proptosis experience long-term vision problems, such as double vision. However, if the condition is diagnosed and treated quickly, you are less likely to experience permanent vision loss.

If the cause of proptosis is thyroid eye disease, the following remedies may help:

• Medicines to improve the level of thyroid hormones in your blood. This medication may not always correct your eye problem, but it can hold back its progression.
• Steroid injection into a vein to help reduce inflammation associated with proptosis.
• Corrective surgery is performed to improve the appearance of the eye once the inflammation is under control.

In addition, depending on the cause, treatment options that can treat proptosis are:

• Eye drops to reduce dryness and eye irritation.
• Special lenses to improve double vision.
• Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or surgery to treat proptosis caused by tumors.