What causes unilateral exophthalmos?

What causes unilateral exophthalmos?

In adults, the most common cause of unilateral and bilateral exophthalmos is thyroid-associated eye disease, such as Graves-related ophthalmopathy. In children, orbital cellulitis is the most common cause, whereas bilateral exophthalmos is most likely due to neuroblastoma and leukemia.

What is unilateral exophthalmos?

Unilateral exophthalmus, although frequently seen in connection with thyroid diseases, has a much larger differential diagnosis than bilateral exophthalmus. With unilateral presentation one should think of orbital pseudotumour, orbital cellulitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis, or intraorbital neoplasms.

What causes unilateral proptosis?

The causes of unilateral proptosis include trauma followed by endocrine ophthalmopathy, orbital haemangioma, malignant lymphomas, pseudotumour, lacrimal gland epithelial tumours, meningioma, lymphangioma, glioma of optic nerve, metastatic malignant tumours [1].

What does exophthalmos look like?

Exophthalmos, also known as proptosis, is the medical term for bulging or protruding eyeballs. It can affect 1 or both eyes and is most often caused by thyroid eye disease.

Is thyroid eye disease unilateral?

Asymmetric thyroid eye disease with the appearance of unilateral exophthalmos at the initial examination is a fairly frequent event, while subsequent contralateral proptosis occurs less commonly.

Can exophthalmos cause blindness?

In a high percentage of cases, exophthalmos is associated with thyroid orbitopathy, an inflammatory disease related to hyperthyroidism. The disease may be very serious, since the orbit is a non-extensible osseous cavity, in which an inflammatory process such as this can compress the optic nerve and cause blindness.

Can exophthalmos be cured?

In some cases, surgery may be considered as a treatment for exophthalmos if you have severe or persistent symptoms. For example, surgery might be used to improve the appearance of your eyes if exophthalmos has been in the inactive phase for a few months.

Does hyperthyroidism cause exophthalmos?

Causes of exophthalmos This is an autoimmune condition that affects around one in every three people with an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) caused by Graves’ disease. It’s also common in women aged 30-50 and people who smoke.

What are the stages of thyroid eye disease?

There are two phases of thyroid eye disease. The first phase is the inflammatory phase, which typically lasts six months to two years. The second phase is the stable phase when active inflammation is quiet.