Orbital decompression surgery is a procedure that may be necessary for patients with visual loss due to compromise of optic nerve function or for patients whose Grave�s disease has caused significant disfigurement. In orbital decompression, the surgeon creates fractures of the thin bones of the orbital walls, allowing the orbital contents to be displaced into the sinuses. This permits a significant diminution of proptosis, i.e., the bulging eyes fall backward into the orbit creating a more natural appearance.
