Orbital decompression is surgery to reduce the exophthalmos in thyroid eye disease. At decompression, the orbital contents are allowed to expand sideways into the sinus medially (towards the nose) and into the bone laterally (away from the nose). As a result, the eye goes back into the socket and has a much more normal appearance. By doing decompression, problems of nerve compression can be relieved and also even if there is not nerve compression, the normal functional anatomy is restored. If a balanced two-wall decompression is done, problems of double vision after surgery are largely avoided.

	Normal orbit anatomy
	Normal orbit anatomy
	Orbital walls
	Graves' orbitopathy
	Orbital decompression