MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Orbital pseudotumor

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Orbital pseudotumor

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names Definition Causes, incidence, and risk factors Symptoms	Signs and tests Treatment Expectations (prognosis) Complications Calling your health care provider

Illustrations

Skull anatomy

Alternative names Return to top

Idiopathic orbital inflamatory syndrome (IOIS)

Definition Return to top

The orbit is the bony pyramid-shaped cavity of the skull that contains and protects the eyeball and associated structures. Orbital pseudotumor is a swelling of the orbital tissues behind the eye, but unlike cancerous tumors, it cannot invade tissues or spread elsewhere.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top

The cause is unknown. No risk factors are known.

Symptoms Return to top

Swelling of the tissue around the eye with bulging of the eye, often painful.

Signs and tests Return to top

The changes of pseudotumor can be seen when the eye is examined. Tests to differentiate a pseudotumor from a tumor include the following:

Treatment Return to top

Mild cases may regress without treatment. More severe cases will usually respond to treatment with corticosteroids. Very severe cases may develop damaging pressure on the eye and require surgical movement of the bones of the orbit to decompress the eyeball.

Expectations (prognosis) Return to top

Most cases are mild and do well. Severe cases may be resistant to treatment and visual loss may occur. Orbital pseudotumor usually involves only one eye.

Complications Return to top

Severe cases of orbital pseudotumor may push the eye forward to the extent that the lids can no longer protect the cornea, and damage to cornea clarity or corneal ulcer may occur. The eye muscles may not be able to properly aim the eye, and double vision may result.

Calling your health care provider Return to top

Patients with pseudotumor will be closely followed by an ophthalmologist with experience in treatment of orbital disease.

If you experience irritation of the cornea, redness, pain, or decreased vision, call your ophthalmologist or general health care provider right away.

Update Date: 7/24/2004

Updated by: Edward B. Feinberg, MD, MPH, Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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