How is exophthalmos treated

If it is a symptom of an underlying condition, you may have other symptoms of this condition. If your eyes begin to bulge, either both or just one, see a doctor. Your doctor will want a full medical history and will conduct a physical exam.

Further tests will be carried out to determine the underlying cause of the exophthalmos, including a vision test, a CT scan or MRI and blood tests. The most common cause of exophthalmos is hyperthyroidism an overactive thyroid gland. This gland is found in the neck and is responsible for releasing hormones that help to control the metabolism.

Hence, with hyperthyroidism too much of these hormones are released. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause of your exophthalmos, but can include eye drops, antibiotics or surgery. If the underlying cause is cancer, then surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy will be recommended, however, you will be referred to a cancer specialist at this stage.

Depending on the underlying cause, different specialists will treat exophthalmos. However, it will likely be treated by a multi-disciplinary team including ophthalmologists, surgeons, endocrinologists and oncologists. If you have a tumour behind your eye, your doctors will discuss treatment options with you.

For most types of cancer, treatment involves one or more of the following:. You are legally obliged to inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency DVLA about a medical condition that could have an impact on your driving ability.

The GOV. UK website provides information and advice on how to tell the DVLA that you have stopped driving or need to stop. Skip to Main Content. Search the site. On this page. Overview Exophthalmos, also known as proptosis, is a medical term for a bulging or protruding eyeball or eyeballs. When to seek medical advice See your GP or an optometrist optician if you notice that one or both of your eyes are protruding.

Causes of exophthalmos One of the main causes of exophthalmos in the UK is thyroid eye disease, also known as Graves' ophthalmopathy. Other causes Exophthalmos can also have a number of other causes, but these are generally less common than thyroid eye disease. Other causes of exophthalmos can include: an injury to the eyes bleeding behind the eyes abnormally shaped blood vessels behind the eyes an infection of the tissue in the eye socket cancerous tumours — such as those caused by neuroblastoma and some soft tissue sarcomas Exophthalmos can also affect newborn babies if they're born with eye sockets that are shallower than normal.

Treating exophthalmos If exophthalmos is being caused by thyroid eye disease, the following treatments are often helpful: medication to correct the level of thyroid hormones in your blood — this won't necessarily improve the problems with your eyes, but may stop them getting worse corticosteroid medication given directly into a vein intravenously — this can help reduce the inflammation associated with the condition corrective surgery — this may be carried out to improve the appearance of your eyes once the inflammation is under control Other useful measures include stopping smoking, using artificial tears to reduce eye dryness and irritation, and wearing special lenses to correct double vision.

Complications of exophthalmos Depending on what's causing your bulging eyes, you may also have other associated symptoms. For example, if exophthalmos is caused by a thyroid eye disease, your eyes may also be: inflamed, red and painful dry and "gritty" tearful sensitive to light photophobia You may also experience some double vision.

Treatment Treatment for exophthalmos bulging eyes largely depends on what is causing the problem. Treating thyroid eye disease If you have thyroid eye disease, your treatment may involve several different stages. This is because the condition tends to progress through two main phases: an "active" phase — when symptoms caused by inflammation of the eyes, such as dryness and redness, are prominent and you may be at risk of vision problems an "inactive" phase — when the condition has "burnt out" and many of the symptoms settle down, but you may be left with some long-term problems including protruding eyes Typically, the initial active phase lasts for between several months and around two years.

Correcting thyroid hormone levels If you have an overactive thyroid gland hyperthyroidism or an underactive thyroid gland hypothyroidism , you will usually be offered medication to help correct the level of thyroid hormones in your blood. General measures You may also be advised about things you can do, and treatments that are available, to relieve some of the symptoms associated with the active phase of thyroid eye disease.

These include: stopping smoking if you smoke, as it can significantly increase the risk of eye problems becoming more severe raising the head of your bed — for example, by using extra pillows — which may help reduce some of the puffiness around your eyes wearing sunglasses if you have photophobia sensitivity to light trying to avoid exposing your eyes to irritants such as dust using eye drops to help relieve soreness and to moisten your eyes if you have dry eyes wearing glasses containing special prisms designed to help correct double vision If your thyroid eye disease is mild, these measures — along with the medications to correct your thyroid hormone levels mentioned above — may be all the treatment you need.

Corticosteroids In more severe cases, when the eyes are particularly painful and inflamed during the active stage of thyroid eye disease, corticosteroid may be recommended by your doctor. Severe side effects of intravenous corticosteroids are uncommon, but you may experience some short-lived problems for a few days following the treatment sessions, such as: feeling agitated having difficulty sleeping headaches blushing of the neck and face Read more about the side effects of corticosteroids.

Radiotherapy Occasionally, orbital or retrobulbar radiotherapy may be considered during the active stage of thyroid eye disease if corticosteroids have not been effective. However, possible side effects may include: short-term worsening of your eye symptoms cataracts in rare cases, sight-threatening retinopathy damage to the layer of tissue at the back of your eye. Surgery In some cases, surgery may be considered as a treatment for exophthalmos if you have severe or persistent symptoms.

Types of surgery There are three main types of surgery that may be carried out on people with exophthalmos, although it is unusual for someone to have all three. These are: orbital decompression surgery — see below where a small amount of bone is removed from your eye socket s eyelid surgery — where surgery is carried out to improve the position, closure or appearance of the eyelids eye muscle surgery — where surgery is carried out on your eye muscles to bring your eyes into alignment and reduce double vision These procedures are usually carried out under general anaesthetic , which means you will be asleep.

Orbital decompression surgery Orbital decompression surgery is most often carried out to improve the appearance of the eyes of people with thyroid eye disease who are affected by exophthalmos. If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads. The information on this page has been adapted from original content from the NHS website.

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If you have thyroid eye disease, your treatment may be in several stages. This is because the condition tends to progress through 2 main phases:. If you have an overactive thyroid gland hyperthyroidism or an underactive thyroid gland hypothyroidism , you'll usually be offered medicine to correct the level of thyroid hormones in your blood. For example, an overactive thryoid can be treated with medicines such as thionamides, which prevent your thyroid gland producing excess thyroid hormones.

Treating your thyroid problems will not necessarily improve your related eye symptoms, but it may help prevent other problems associated with abnormal thyroid levels. It may also prevent bulging eyes from getting worse. You may also be advised about treatments and things you can do yourself to relieve some of the symptoms associated with the active phase of thyroid eye disease. If thyroid eye disease is mild, self-care and medicines to correct your thyroid hormone levels may be all the treatment you need.

In some cases, when the eyes are very painful and inflamed during the active phase of thyroid eye disease, steroids may be recommended. Steroids are powerful medicines that can help control inflammation.

They can help to make the condition stable before any type of surgery is considered. In many cases, steroid injections , given directly into a vein intravenously , are recommended. This is because taking steroid tablets over a long period of time can have significant side effects.