Orbital cellulitis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Eye anatomy

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Orbital cellulitis

Symptoms:

Fever, generally 102 degrees F or greater.
Painful swelling of upper and lower lids (upper is usually greater).
Eyelid appears shiny and is red or purple in color.
Infant or child is acutely ill or toxic.
Eye pain especially with movement.
Decreased vision (because the lid is swollen over the eye).
Eyes, bulging (forward displacement of the eye).
Swelling of the eyelids that prevents the eye from opening (see facial swelling ).
General malaise.
Restricted or painful eye movements.

Signs and tests:

Tests commonly include:

A CBC (complete blood count)
Blood culture and sensitivity
A spinal tap in extremely sick children

Other tests may include:

An x-ray of the sinuses and orbit
A CT scan or MRI of the sinuses and orbit
A culture of eye drainage
A culture of nose drainage
A throat culture
A blood culture

Review Date: 4/8/2005
Reviewed By: Raymond S. Douglas, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Ophthalmology, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.