Abstract
This article traces the development of orbital surgery and its subsequent modifications.
It also points out the importance of defining one’s goal before embarking on orbital
surgery. Although generally considered part of ophthalmology, surgery on the orbit
has been relatively neglected and not routinely practiced. This article reviews the
history of development of orbital surgery, both the revolutionary ideas and the evolutionary
changes. There are multiple orbital lesions that do not need to be treated with surgery
at all. These days chemotherapy, radation therapy, or even immunotherapy may be more
appropriate. The most common orbital pathology, that is thyroid orbitopathy, the physician
needs to decide whether or not the orbit needs to be decompressed or whether there
are problems related to motility that can be dealt with by eye muscle surgery.
Keywords
orbitototomy - fine needle aspiration biopsy - computerized axial topography - transconjunctival
incisions - Krönlein's orbitotomy - orbital deconstruction
