Left eye sticks out farther than right

[charger_097]

Okay so this summer I noticed that one eye sticks out farther than the other.  It's also the eye I have an astigmatism.  Should I be worried? I dont have the money or insurance to see a docter. Any common causes?  

[annepsd]

I have the same thing.  One eye sticks out farther than the other, about 1mm.  This makes the iris (the colored part of the eye around the pupil) look bigger but its not, both irises have been measured and they are exactly the same.  Also, the top and bottom lid of the eye that sticks out farther is higher by 1mm on the top lid and 1mm lower on the lower lid than the smaller looking eye, perhaps because the eye sticks out farther?  I'm not sure.  

First I went to an ophthalmologist for something else and asked about the size difference and he said he didn't see it.  He measured everything about my eyes and saw the differences stated above, said it's normal to have asymmetry and told me it gives me character.  Then I went to a specialist for thyroid eye disease, basically said the same thing and offered to send me for thyroid testing and MRI to check for a tumor.  The MRI was about 2k and lab tests a few hundred dollars but I met my high deductible for my health plan and paid 20%, about $565.  That's on top of the $250 for previous eye exams.  

I feel like a total weirdo so I purposely squint the eye that looks bigger to make my eyes look the same size.  It's exhausting!  I'm looking into ways to make the eyelids on the smaller looking eye bigger with the hope that will make my eyes look a little bit more symmetrical.  But in the long run, there is only so much we can do about these types of things and acceptance is power.  Good luck!

[JohnHaganMD]

Facial asymmetry is more the rule than the exception. Your testing has ruled out the serious causes and you should be grateful as among the causes are cancer and tumors behind the eye.  Most people (99%) will not notice this.

[kaylite2012]

I have the exact same problem. I have had all the tests in the world done and everything is normal. First they thought it was MS, then my thyroid, then maybe a tumour and everything was negative. They've tested the pressure in that eye multiple times and it's normal. I'm not saying that you shouldn't get it checked out though because you could have a different issue, however, my right eye is the "problem eye" and it does the same, bulges slightly more than the left and it's also the eye I have an astigmatism in.

[achillea]

There are no  'common' or benign causes for a bulging eye, also called exophthalmos, if you want to google the word.

As LisaTaylor says, a thyroid disorder can cause this.  So can tumors, infections, and various inflammations.  Some of these can be pretty nasty.

However, it is also possible--and quite common--for people to get fixated by asymmetrical eyes.  They suddenly become aware that the two halves of the face do not match perfectly, and some people get kind of obsessed with this difference.  One way to check on this is to look back at photos taken earlier in life, and then start taking record shots of the eyes as they are now.  Comparing such photos will give the patient and doctor a better idea if some condition is truly causing an eye to bulge.

There is a device doctors can use to measure the amount of bulge to determine if there is a significant protrusion.

People often say they don't have the money or the insurance to see a doctor, but getting an exam is the only way to determine if the eye is OK.  What is a person's eyesight worth? Is it worth at least checking out the cost of Obamacare, or maybe of phoning a doctor's office to ask if there is a sliding scale for those who make minimum wage but need care?

[LisaTaylor]

If your one eye bigger that the other, the possible cause is thyroid. You need to undergo thyroid tests to get the proper diagnosis and eventually, treat your eye problem.It is important to have your eyes be evaluated as early as possible