Periorbital (preseptal) cellulitis in children

Abstract

Infections of the eye can be periorbital (preseptal) or orbital in origin. The management of children with periorbital cellulitis varies with the clinical presentation. Some children have trivial or self-limited disorders, while others can have sight- or life-threatening problems. Thorough physical examination helps the clinician to differentiate among the causes of periorbital cellulitis and between periorbital and orbital cellulitis. The differential diagnosis of periorbital cellulitis includes conjunctivitis, hordeolum, dacryocystitis, dacryoadenitis, bacteremic cellulitis, traumatic cellulitis and inflammatory edema secondary to sinusitis. Orbital cellulitis, although very much less common than periorbital cellulitis, is the most common cause of unilateral proptosis in children.