In Grave’s Disease, these antibodies attack the thyroid gland and tissues within the orbit, leading to overgrowth of muscles and fat cells and displacement of the eye(s) forward to protrude from the orbits. Its most often caused by thyroid eye disease. See your GP or an optometrist (optician) if you notice that one or both of your eyes are protruding. Exophthalmos, also known as proptosis, is a medical term for a bulging or protruding eyeball or eyeballs. It's most often caused by thyroid eye disease. Mood changes, such as an increase in feelings of nervousness, irritability, or anxiety. Grave’s Disease is an auto-immune condition, where antibodies that normally protect someone from outside pathogens instead attack and trigger inflammation within normal tissues within the body. Exophthalmos (bulging eyes) Exophthalmos, also known as proptosis, is a medical term for a bulging or protruding eyeball or eyeballs. Aside from bulging eyes, Graves disease can cause other symptoms, such as: An increased appetite accompanied by weight loss. While most cases of orbital proptosis are due to Grave’s disease (resulting in Grave’s Ophthalmopathy), the condition can also be caused by growths within the orbit or adjacent sinuses, trauma, infection, and bleeding or abnormal blood flow within the orbit.

Some medical practitioners use the term proptosis if the protrusion of the eye globe is 18 millimeters (mm) or less while they use. And, abnormal bulging of eyeballs in every other dysfunction is called proptosis. Orbital proptosis refers to the abnormal protrusion of one or both eyes in relation to the orbits (bony compartments that normally house the eyes and surrounding structures). Exophthalmos is often easy to recognise from the appearance of the eyeballs, which clearly bulge or protrude from the sockets, exposing most of the whites of the eyes. Abnormal protrusion of eyeballs in endocrine disorders especially in thyroid dysfunction is known as exophthalmos.

Bulging eyeballs