What is exophthalmos and how does it affect your eyes?

Exophthalmos is an abnormal bulging out of one or both eyes. Sometimes eyes can appear to be bulging when a person has lost a lot of weight. The eyes remain the same, but there’s less fat and muscle around the face. This makes the eyes look like they bulge in comparison.
The most common cause of true exophthalmos is Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that leads to an overactive thyroid gland. The disease also can cause proteins to accumulate in certain tissues, most commonly in the muscles that control eye movements. These muscles are called the extraocular muscles. They get larger and push the eyes forward. Usually both eyes are affected.