Breathing habits can cause early eye protrusion in children?! What really causes bulging eyes?

Everyone knows what bulgy eyes can look like (think Kermit the Frog); however, the reasons behind eye bulge are not as commonly understood. We would like to address of few of them.

Bulgy eyes (known medically as exophthalmos or proptosis) can be congenital, something present since birth, it be can develop as a result of thyroid dysfunction, eye bulginess can even develop due to habits that affect orbital bone growth in the eyes. First, let's discuss the more widely understood causes: the first two causes mentioned, congenital eye bulginess and thyroid dysfunction-related eye bulginess.

Congenital eye protrusion is due to what doctor's call a "shallow orbit". The word "orbit" refers to the eye socket. When that space is too shallow to accommodate the eye properly, the eyeball protrudes. 

Eye bulginess that occurs as a result of thyroid dysfunction is more serious. The thyroid gland produces hormones. When there is an overproduction of thyroid hormones, reactions in the tissue around the eyes can occur causing the tissue to swell. This swelling of tissue causes pressure behind the eye to increase inevitably pushing the eyes forward and causing them to protrude.

        (the ethmoid bone, unfortunately blurred, when seen from below)

The last cause, and more interesting one, that we will cover is the development of eye bulginess due to habits in childhood. This involves the ethmoid bone. The ethmoid bone is a bone the separates the brain from the sinus cavity and can be found between the eyes. It makes up the medial wall, or middle portion, of the orbital room (eye socket). It houses a bunch of structures that make up the sinus and is important in allowing respiration through the nose. When growing children habits that causes pressure in the sinus cavity to increase, say sporadically holding one's breath, the ethmoid bone may protrude slightly outward into the orbit. This can limit the space available in the orbital room for the eye to sit comfortably in and, consequentially, result in proptosis (eye protrusion). 

If you are someone suffering from eye protrusion, or what appears to be eye protrusion -- whether you have a naturally shallow orbit, a convex-shaped (outward protruding) ethmoid bone, or thyroid induced eye protrusion -- we here at EFIL can help.

We have more than 10 years of experience in facial contour and corrective eye protrusion surgery. Feel to visit our website at the link below.

EFIL Plastic Surgery Clinic

We're here to help you. Don't hesitate contact us with questions or concerns.

EFIL Staff