Exophthlamos or exophthalmia is an anterior bulging out of an eyeball from the eye socket (orbit) which could be either innate, inherited or because of pathological causes like retroorbital tumor (generally unilateral) or thyroid condition (generally bilateral). Exophthalmos could affect a single eyeball (unilateral) or in both eyes (bilateral). A doctor would employ an exophthalmometer for measurement of extent of exophthalmos.
On the basis of how severe exophthlamos is, in case not treated, it could lead to improper closure of eye lids while asleep leading to dryness in cornea and eventually harm. Individuals having exophthalmos additionally have greater likelihood of developing a condition known as superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis wherein inflammation of the region on top of the cornea occurs due to ongoing friction when eyelids are batted. A number of patients could additionally sense ophthalmic artery or optic nerve compression that could ultimately have an effect on the patient’s vision that could lead to sightlessness.
Exophthalmos rather than a condition is an indication of a condition typically caused due to some aspect gone off beam with the thyroid gland.
Exophthlamos Signs and Symptoms:
The most apparent sign of exophthalmos are bulged out or protruded eyeballs (single or both eyeballs). In case Graves’ disease is present, a thyroid condition, the protrusion occurs due to swell up of the eyeball tissues and an increase in the amount of cells present in the eye leading to larger-sized eyes that could protrude forwards from their sockets. Eye socket is firm and incapable of expanding for accommodating the larger-sized eyeball. The eyeball protruding leads to eyelid being forced away from each other thus proffering gawking look with abnormal proportioned white portion of the eye showing.
Protruding eyeballs is mostly due to presence of Graves’ disease and symptoms comprise of:
- Painful sensation felt in the eyes.
- Dryness in the eyes.
- Irritated sensation in eyes.
- Photophobia – overtly sensitive towards light.
- Lacrimation – secretion from eyes and tears being shed.
- Diplopia – dual eyesight occurring due to deteriorating eye muscles.
- Advanced sightlessness – in case optic nerve compression occurs.
- Problem in eye movement due to failing eye muscles making it problematic in moving eyes. In certain scenarios, a condition known as amblyopia or inward turning eyes occurs.
Some of the non-visual symptoms could also surface with Graves’ disease namely:
- Erratic cardiac beats – palpitation, arrhythmia.
- Nervousness.
- Sleeplessness.
