What ocular condition is often referred to as "sunken eyes"?

The term "sunken eyes" is often associated with enophthalmos. This condition refers to the posterior displacement of the eyeball within the orbit, which can give the appearance of the eyes being recessed or sunk back in the face. Enophthalmos can occur due to a variety of reasons, including trauma, loss of orbital fat, or certain medical conditions that lead to a decrease in the volume of the orbital contents.

In contrast, exophthalmos refers to the forward protrusion of the eyeball, typically seen in conditions such as Graves' disease or Thyroid Eye Disease. This results in a bulging appearance of the eyes rather than a retracted or sunk appearance.

Ptosis, on the other hand, is the drooping of the upper eyelid and does not relate to the position of the eyeball itself within the orbit. Strabismus refers to a misalignment of the eyes, which also does not present with the sunken appearance associated with enophthalmos.

Thus, "sunken eyes" is correctly identified with enophthalmos due to the retracted nature of the eyeball, creating the desired visual description.