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Periorbital cellulitis is an infection of the tissues surrounding the eye.
Alternative NamesPreseptal cellulitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsPeriorbital 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.
SymptomsThere 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.
Calling your health care providerAlthough periorbital cellulitis rarely has complications, any infection near the eye and close to the brain is potentially serious. It is important to call your doctor immediately if you think that you or your child may have periorbital cellulitis.
ReferencesBolognia J. Infections, hyper- and hypopigmentation, regional dermatology, and distinctive lesions in black skin. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 467.
Morelli JG. Cutaneous bacterial infections. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 664.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoPeriorbital cellulitis is an infection of the eyelid or skin around the eye.
Alternative NamesPreseptal cellulitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsPeriorbital cellulitis is more common in children under age 6.
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 styeor chalazion may also become worse and involve the eyelid.
SymptomsSymptoms include:
- Redness around the eye or in the white part of the eye
- Swelling of the eyelid, whites of eyes, and surrounding area
This condition does not usually affect your vision or cause eye pain.
TreatmentThe health care provider will examine the eye.
Antibiotics will be prescribed. They are usually taken by mouth. However, you may also receive a shot of antibiotics.
Expectations (prognosis)Periorbital cellulitis almost always improves with treatment. In rare cases, the infection may spread into the eye socket, the tissues that surround the eye, and the eyeball itself. This is called orbital cellulitis.
Calling your health care providerCall your doctor right away if:
- The eye becomes red or swollen
- Symptoms get worse after treatment
- Fever develops along with eye symptoms
- It is difficult or painful to move the eye
- The eye looks like it is sticking (bulging) out
- There are vision changes
Wald ER. Periorbital and orbital infections. In: Long SS, ed. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 89.
Olitsky SE, Hug D, Plummer LS, Stass-Isern M. Orbital infections. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 626.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 12/06/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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Is periorbital cellulitis contagious?
It is VERY contageous.
What are the causes of orbital and periorbital cellulitis?
Orbital and periorbital cellulitis are usually caused by infection of the sinuses near the nose. Insect bites or injuries that break the skin cause about one-third of these cellulitis infections. Orbital and periorbital cellulitis may also occur.
What population groups tend to get orbital and periorbital cellulitis?
Periorbital cellulitis, which accounts for 85-90% of all ocular cellulitis, usually occurs in children under the age of five. Responsible for the remaining 10-15% of these infections, orbital cellulitis is most common in children over the age of five.
What are the symptoms of orbital and periorbital cellulitis?
People with periorbital cellulitis will have swollen, painful lids and redness, but probably no fever. About one child in five has a runny nose, and 20% have conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis, also called pinkeye, is an inflammation of the mucous.
Swelling surrounding the eye or eyes is known as?
Orbital cellulitis. The correct answer is Periorbital edema.
What ages are most affected by cellulitis?
In case of periorbital cellulitis most affected are youngsters (cause bacteria HiB). In case of leg or arm cellulitis most affected are older patients(cause Staph or Strep bacteria). Cellulitis affects people of all ages.
What is preseptal cellulitis?
Preseptal cellulitis (periorbital cellulitis) is infection of the eyelid and surrounding skin anterior to the orbital septum Preseptal cellulitis causes tenderness, swelling, and redness or discoloration (violaceous in the case of H. influenzae) of the eyelid. Patients may be unable to open their eyes, but visual acuity remains normal. Treatment is with antibiotics.
What is the treatment for orbital and periorbital cellulitis?
A child who has orbital or periorbital cellulitis should be hospitalized without delay. Antibiotics are used to stop the spread of infection and prevent damage to the optic nerve, which transmits visual images to the brain.
Why is eye tissue green?
Green or yellowish-green discharge is also typically the result of a bacterial infection, such as bacterial keratitis, bacterial conjunctivitis, stye or periorbital cellulitis (a bacterial infection of the eyelids and tissues around the eye
What complications are associated with orbital cellulitis?
If diagnosed promptly and treated with antibiotics, most orbital and periorbital cellulitis can be cured. These conditions are serious and need prompt treatment. Infections that spread beyond the eye socket can cause.
What causes cellulitis?
Preseptal cellulitis (periorbital cellulitis) is infection of the eyelid and surrounding skin anterior to the orbital septum Preseptal cellulitis causes tenderness, swelling, and redness or discoloration (violaceous in the case of H. influenzae) of the eyelid. Patients may be unable to open their eyes, but visual acuity remains normal. Treatment is with antibiotics.
Can you infect someone with a bacterial chest infection?
Cellulitis is a spreading bacterial infection of the skin and tissues beneath the skin. Cellulitis usually begins as a small area of tenderness, swelling, and redness. As this red area begins to enlarge, the person may develop a fever -- sometimes with chills and sweats -- and swollen lymph nodes ("swollen glands") near the area of infected skin.Unlike impetigo, which is a very superficial skin infection, cellulitis refers to an infection also involving the skin's deeper layers: the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The main bacteria involved in cellulitis are Streptococcus and Staphylococcus ("staph"), the same bacteria that cause many cases of impetigo. MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus) can also cause cellulitis. Sometimes, other bacteria (for example, Hemophilus influenzae, Pneumococcus, and Clostridium species) may cause cellulitis as well.Where does cellulitis occur?Cellulitis may occur anywhere on the body, but the leg is the most common site of the infection (particularly in the area of the tibia or shinbone and in the foot), followed by the arm, and then the head and neck areas. In special circumstances, such as following surgery or trauma wounds, cellulitis can develop in the abdomen or chest areas. People with morbid obesity can also develop cellulitis in the abdominal skin. Special types of cellulitis are sometimes designated by the location of the infection. Examples include periorbital (around the eye socket) cellulitis, buccal (cheek) cellulitis, and perianal cellulitis. What does cellulitis look like?The signs of cellulitis include redness, warmth, swelling, and pain in the involved tissues. Any skin wound or ulcer that exhibits these signs may be developing cellulitis. Other forms of noninfected inflammation may mimic cellulitis. People with poor leg circulation, for instance, often develop scaly redness on the shins and ankles; this is called "stasis dermatitis" and is often mistaken for the bacterial infection of cellulitis.
