A pediatric ophthalmologist and a specialist in adult eye muscle disorders, Alan B. Richards, M.D. has spent more than five decades with the Highland Clinic and Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport, Louisiana. Alan B. Richards, M.D., treats a wide range of conditions, including orbital tumors.
An orbital tumor is a growth of tissue that forms in the structures surrounding the eye. Like most tumors, orbital tumors can be benign or malignant and may be localized or the result of metastasis from cancer elsewhere in the body. Dermoid cysts often present in early childhood as a mass above the eye. These cysts should be removed to be certain of the diagnosis and to prevent rupture from a minor injury, which can cause significant inflammation. However, serious, malignant tumors such as neuroblastoma or rhabdomyosarcoma do occur in children and may present as a mass around the eye.
A variety of symptoms may indicate a person is living with a newly formed orbital tumor. Many of these symptoms are visible, such as an eyeball that appears flattened or bulging forth from the skull. The eyelid also may be impacted, becoming swollen or droopy.
An orbital tumor can cause pain throughout the eye and surrounding region for some patients, while others are more likely to experience numbness and tingling. Regardless of the sensation, an orbital tumor can alter vision in several ways. In some cases, an affected eye will not be able to function in sync with the other. Other times, a person may have visual distortions or a loss of vision.
These symptoms alone are not enough to make a diagnosis and may be indicative of a completely different ocular condition. Any new lump or bump around the eye should be examined to be certain a malignant growth is not present.
An orbital tumor is a growth of tissue that forms in the structures surrounding the eye. Like most tumors, orbital tumors can be benign or malignant and may be localized or the result of metastasis from cancer elsewhere in the body. Dermoid cysts often present in early childhood as a mass above the eye. These cysts should be removed to be certain of the diagnosis and to prevent rupture from a minor injury, which can cause significant inflammation. However, serious, malignant tumors such as neuroblastoma or rhabdomyosarcoma do occur in children and may present as a mass around the eye.
A variety of symptoms may indicate a person is living with a newly formed orbital tumor. Many of these symptoms are visible, such as an eyeball that appears flattened or bulging forth from the skull. The eyelid also may be impacted, becoming swollen or droopy.
An orbital tumor can cause pain throughout the eye and surrounding region for some patients, while others are more likely to experience numbness and tingling. Regardless of the sensation, an orbital tumor can alter vision in several ways. In some cases, an affected eye will not be able to function in sync with the other. Other times, a person may have visual distortions or a loss of vision.
These symptoms alone are not enough to make a diagnosis and may be indicative of a completely different ocular condition. Any new lump or bump around the eye should be examined to be certain a malignant growth is not present.
