What is the cause of bulging eyes due to hyperthyroidism?

Currently, more and more people are suffering from hyperthyroidism, and most of these patients are young people. There are many symptoms when suffering from hyperthyroidism. One of them is that the eyes of patients with hyperthyroidism will be more protruding. When the situation is more serious, it will affect the patient's vision. At this time, it is more difficult to treat. Now let’s talk about the reasons for protruding eyes of hyperthyroidism.

1. Reason 1

Cellular immunity research on T cells in the extraocular muscles of patients with exophthalmos found that these T cells have the ability to recognize extraocular muscle antigens, stimulate T cell proliferation and produce migration inhibitory factors. Many patients have antibodies and dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). More than half of patients with exophthalmos have low NK activity, so autoantibody production is in a hyperactive state.

2. Reason 2

Effect of retrobulbar fibroblasts Immunohistochemical staining showed the presence of IGF-I in extraocular muscles, adipocytes, and inflammatory infiltrating cells. IGF-I and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) have the effect of stimulating fibroblasts. Therefore, the onset of exophthalmos is related to this.

3. Reason three

Autoimmune in vitro cell culture animal model, data show that there are organ-specific antigens in the ocular tissue, which is an independent organ-specific autoimmune disease. A 64KDa protein of the extraocular muscles and its specific antibodies have been detected in the blood of patients with endocrine infiltrative exophthalmos. It is speculated that the occurrence of exophthalmos may be related to this protein.

4. Reason 4

Environmental factors were observed in patients with hyperthyroidism and it was found that 83% of those with exophthalmos smoked, while only 40% of those without exophthalmos smoked, suggesting that smoking may be involved in the occurrence of exophthalmos.

5. Reason 5

Humoral immunity It is generally believed that exophthalmos is an autoimmune disease. The eyes may have the same antigenic determinants as the thyroid gland. TSH receptor antigens, thyroglobulin-antithyroglobulin antibody immune complexes, antibodies to foreign antigens such as bacteria and viruses may also play a role in the onset of the disease.