Tumors and inflammations can occur behind the eye. They often push the eye forward causing a bulging of the eye called proptosis. The most common causes of proptosis are thyroid eye disease and lymphoid tumors. Other tumors include hemangiomas (blood vessel tumors), lacrimal gland tumors, and growths which extend from the sinuses into the orbit. Though CT scans, MRI’s and ultrasounds help in determining the probable diagnosis. Most orbital tumors are diagnosed by a biopsy or FNAB (Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy).
Treatment
The treatment depends on the type of lesion (benign or malignant) and clinical behaviour. When possible, orbital tumors must be totally removed. If they cannot be removed or if removal will cause too much damage to other important structures around the eye, a piece of tumor may be removed and sent for evaluation by the pathologist. Occasionally these tumors are too big or involve the sinuses and require more extensive surgery with bone-flaps. If tumors cannot be removed during surgery, most orbital tumors can be treated with external beam radiation therapy. Certain rare orbital tumors require removal of the eye and orbital contents. In certain cases orbital seed radiotherapy may be used to treat any residual tumor.
Most common tumors are: Orbital Rhabdomyosarcoma, Cavernous Hemangioma, Orbital Meningioma, Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, Orbital Pseudotumor, Lymphangioma, Osteoma.