Orbital swelling:A simplified guide

Swelling in and around the orbit is common but many doctors may have difficulty forming a differential diagnosis for an orbital swelling. It is important to be able to differentiate the causes of orbital swelling either because they are common (e.g. thyroid eye disease) or because they are rare (e.g. mucormycosis) but may result in loss of vision or even death (Gamba et al, 1986; Rootman, 2001; Tanaka et al, 2004; Kanski, 2007; Lutt et al, 2008). This article outlines the assessment of orbital swelling. </jats:p