Bruising and pressure in and around eye

[tlusa]

I am 41 year old female. I woke up one morning looking like I was in the ring with Mike Tyson, severe swelling and Bruising above and below the eye. No injury occured. 3 years later same thing and takes 3 to 4 months for bruising to go away. I do have pressure pain behind the eye at times and more severe when I bend over. MRI shows either swelling of the rectus muscle or mass of blood vessels. Mass. Eye and NY, Roosevelt eye. seems to think swelling of the rectus muscle because 6 months later MRI shows smaller. Have been tested for Graves and keep being retested but I have never heard of anyone with such severe bruising do to graves, The blackest purple you could imagine and from my eyebrow to cheek bone. I am coming up on appointments with both my endricrinologist and opthamologist and want to get to the bottom of it. I do feel as though my vision has declined but I hear hitting 40 can do that. Don't know if they are dumbfounded or if it is really Graves. Can you get such severe swelling and bruising with graves?    

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

If your are going to MEE Hospital then you have got as good of care as there is. Such bleeding is not typical of Graves, common causes include blood thinners such as heparin and coumadin, and abnormal blood vessels in the lids or orbits (venous angiomas). Continue to see your eye MD team.

JCH III MD