Periorbital cellulitis (infection around eyes)

General or Other | - Others | Periorbital cellulitis (infection around eyes) (Disease)


Description

Periorbital cellulitis is an infection of the eyelid or skin around the eye. Periorbital cellulitis is more common in children under age 6.

Affected individuals may experience the following; swelling, redness, discharge, pain, shut eye, conjunctival injection, fever (mild), slightly blurred vision, teary eyes, and some reduction in vision.

Typical signs include periorbital erythema, induration, tenderness and warmth. Staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria are commonly implicated.

Causes and Risk factors

It can occur after a scratch or bug bite around the eye allow germs or bacteria to cause an infection. It can be the result of minor injury to the area around the eye, or it may extend from another site of infection, such as sinusitis. A stye or chalazion may also become worse and involve the eyelid.

It can also be caused by sleeping overnight with make-up on the eyes. This can lead to microscopic pieces of make-up in the eyelid for days causing infection.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Periorbital cellulitis must be differentiated from orbital cellulitis, which is an emergency and requires intravenous (IV) antibiotics. In contrast to orbital cellulitis, patients with periorbital cellulitis do not have bulging of the eye (proptosis), limited eye movement (ophthalmoplegia), pain on eye movement, or loss of vision. If any of these features is present, one must assume that the patient has orbital cellulitis and begin treatment with IV antibiotics. CT scan may be done to delineate the extension of the infection.

Treatment includes oral or intravenous antibiotics depending on the severity of the infection. ...