Symptoms Visible white between the iris (colored part of the eye) and upper eyelid is a sign of abnormal eye bulging and proptosis. Other symptoms of the disease are:
- Drying of cornea
- Difficulty with eye movement
- Discomfort
- Difficulty in blinking or closing eyes fully when sleeping
- Scarring that could result in permanent vision loss
Reasons Some people are born with prominent eyes, which is genetic and not a very serious problem. If bulging eyes are not genetic, thyroid is a common reason in most of the cases. Prominent eyes are different from bulging eyes, and as a result, many people fail to recognize the problem at an early stage. Some of the common reasons that cause bulging eyes include Hemangioma, Leukemia, Neuroblastoma, Glaucoma, Grave’s disease, Orbital cellulitis, Histiocytosis, and Periorbital cellulitis.
Treatment
The doctor measures the eyes of a patient with a ruler called exophthalmometer. If the measurement is within a certain range, there is no need to perform any tests. If the doctors find the measurements are more than normal, they would prescribe other tests such as MRI, ultrasound, and even a biopsy. Though corticosteroids and similar medications reduce inflammation behind the eyes, a plastic or reconstructive surgery might be the only option in serious cases. If Grave’s disease is the reason for proptosis, the doctor may perform orbital decompression that involves partial or complete removal of one or more of the four walls of the eye socket.
Last Few Words
Prevention of bulging eyes is not possible in some cases, and if it is genetic or because of hyperthyroidism, the patient can not prevent the bulging of eyes. Consulting a doctor to know the possible steps to take to prevent exophthalmos works in most of the cases.
Summary
Proptosis or the bulging of eyes could be a serious problem if not treated on time. Read the blog post to learn more about the problem.