OBJECTIVE: To correlate the ophthalmic complications in patients with extra-orbital malignant tumors with the site of origin and histopathologic diagnosis of the tumors by computed tomography. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients diagnosed to have extra-orbital malignant neoplasms, with clinical and radiological evidence of orbital involvement, were studied by computed tomography. No patient had previous treatment of the tumor. RESULTS: Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common neoplasm (28%), followed by basal cell carcinoma (14%). The most frequent ophthalmic complications were proptosis (38%), epiphora (24%) and ocular pain (24%). Decreased visual acuity was noticed in 14% of the cases. The most common sites of origin of the tumors were the maxillary sinus (28%), ethmoidal sinus (17%) and skin and subcutaneous tissue of the face (17%). Ocular proptosis was mainly caused by non-carcinomatous and ethmoidal sinus tumors. Epiphora was more often noticed in carcinomas and maxillary sinus tumors. Decreased ocular motility, visual disturbance and ocular secretion were the commonest ophthalmic complications in patients with ocular anexial tumors. On the other hand, ocular pain was the most frequent feature in patients with soft tissue tumors of the face. CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that, in patients with epiphora and nasomaxillary mass, carcinoma of the maxillary sinus should be considered as the first diagnosis. Non-carcinomatous tumors, like sarcomas and lymphomas, should mainly be considered in patients with proptosis and nasoethmoidal mass.
Neoplasms; Eye diseases; Computed tomography
