Herniated Orbital Fat
Jump To
General
Herniated orbital fat is a condition that occurs when the orbital fat pads around the eyeball bulge through the thin membrane that surrounds them. That thin elastic membrane is called the Tenon capsule and surrounds the globe. This condition can be caused by weakening of the Tenon capsule due to aging, trauma, or surgery. It can also be caused by orbital decompression surgery, thyroid eye disease, or genetics.
Clinical features
While typically caused by orbital fat herniation through a dehiscence in Tenon capsule, this condition rarely causes an infraorbital mass lesion. It presents unilaterally or bilaterally as a yellow mass and primarily affects mostly middle-aged men (mean age 66 years, 90% men). Prolapse typically occurs into the superotemporal quadrant or lateral canthus. It does not recur.
Differential diagnosis
Pleomorphic lipoma has a somewhat different clinical presentation than that of well-differentiated liposarcoma.
