Periorbital cellulitis is an infection of the tissues surrounding the eye.
Alternative Names:
Preseptal cellulitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Periorbital cellulitis is most common in children under age 6.
It can be the result of minor trauma to the area around the eye, or it may extend from another site of infection, such as sinusitis.
Symptoms:
There is generally redness and swelling of the eyelid and the surrounding area. Unlike orbital cellulitis (a more extensive infection involving deeper tissue), periorbital cellulitis does not cause the eyeball to protrude (proptosis) or limit its movements.
Review Date: 11/12/2007
Reviewed By: Rachel A. Lewis, M.D., F.A.A.P., Columbia University Pediatric Family Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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General Pediatrics
