Globe & Orbit Flashcards
What type of orbit do carnivores have compared to herbivores?
Carnivores = open orbit (room for movement of the mandible due to open orbit - for catching prey etc)
Herbivores = closed orbit (protect skull and orbital contents - dominance rituals)
What bridges the incomplete lateral orbit in carbivores? Where does it extend from/insert?
Orbital ligament (soft tissue) - extends from zygomatic process of frontal bone to frontal process of zygomatic bone.
Which bones delimitate the orbit in cats and dogs?
Frontal bone - medial, separates orbit from nasal cavity
Sphenoid bone - caudal orbit, optic canal and orbital fissure pass through this bone and define caudal apex of orbit
Zygomatic and Maxillary bones - define the rostral and lateral limits of orbit.
Lacrimal bone also integrates into rostral limit of orbit.
Which soft tissue structures surround the bony orbit?
Dorsal, lateral and ventral orbit bordered by muscle
Temporal muscle - dorsal and lateral
Masseter - lies ventro-medial to zygomatic arch and forms lateral border
Pterygoid- ventral floor of orbit
Orbital fascia - thin but tough connective tissue liner that envelops all the structures within the orbit and including bony fossa itself.
Fascia of the 4 rectii muscles are connected by periorbital fasical sheath which envelops them - this fascia borders caudally the optic canal and rostrally the globe.
Intraconal structures vs Extraconal structures (whether within orbital cone or adjacent)
What are the intraconal structures of the orbit?
Extraocular muscles - 4 rectus, 2 oblique, 1 retractor bulbi
Cranial nerves - II, III (occulomotor), IV (trochlear), and ophthalmic branch of V (trigeminal), VI (abducens)
Orbital lacrimal gland
Orbital fat within cone
Autonomic veins, arteries and nerves
Smooth muscle enveloping the periorbita (discrepency between anatomy textbooks)
What are the extraconal structures of the orbit?
Zygomatic salivary gland (dogs)
Base of nictitating membrane
Neurovascular structures transversing the orbital floor - maxillary artery (branch of external carotid arterty), maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve, palatine nerve, infraorbital nerve, parasympathetic nerve and ganglion
Orbital fat cushion inferior to orbital cone
What is the orbital septum?
Extends from the bony orbit
Found across the base of the orbit and into the eyelids
Continuous with the periorbital fascia - is thicker laterally in species with an open orbit.
Separates the orbital structures from more superficial structures.
What other structures can be relevant to orbital disease as they lie adjacent?
Nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses - thick bony wall separates usually from orbit but in disease can extend into orbit
Roots of maxillary 4th premolar and 1st/2nd molars - only thin layer of alveolar bone separates them from the soft tissue structures of the orbit. Abscessation of tooth roots or iatrogenic damage of the alveolar bone after dentistry can be a cause for orbital disease.
Central nervous system - orbital apex close to CNS and disease can extend to and from the orbit via the calvarial bone and through the foramina and canals
Muscular disease affecting temporal or masseters e.g immune mediated muscular myositis.
Salivary gland - zygomatic inflammation (sialoadenitis), increased activity (sialoadenosis) or sialoceles
What are the key clinical signs of orbital disease?
Exophthalmos - rostral displacement of the globe along the orbital axis (differs from proptosis as globe remains behind eyelids!)
Enophthalmos - caudal displacement of the globe along the orbital axis
Globe deviation- rotation of the globe away from the normal axis (strabismus used for globe deviation of neurological origin, esotropia and exotropia can be used to identify medial and lateral globe deviation respectively)
What other clinical signs may be seen with orbital disease?
Protrusion of nictitating membrane (TEL)
Periocular swelling
Conjunctival hyperaemia and/or chemosis
Epiphora/mucopurulent ocular discharge
Lagophthlamos +/- exposure keratopathy
KCS
Pain/difficulty on opening mouth
Inappetance/anorexia
Reduction in occulovestibular movements
Afferent or efferent nerve defecits from CN II to CN VI and or autonomic nerves within orbit
Mild elevation in IOP
Retinal folds
Scleral indentation
Solid retinal detachments
Papilloedema
What does the rectus lateralis do? Which nerve innervates it?
Moves eye laterally - abducens
What does the rectus medialis do? Which nerve innervates it?
Moves eye medially - oculomotor
What does the rectus dorsalis do? Which nerve innervates it?
Moves eye dorsally - oculomotor
What does the rectus ventralis do? Which nerve innervates it?
Moves eye ventrally - oculomotor
What does the dorsal oblique do? Which nerve innervates?
Rotate eye inwards - trochlear
What does the ventral oblique do? Which nerve innervates?
Rotates eye outwards - oculomotor
What does the retractor bulbi do? Which nerve innervates?
Retraction of the globe within the orbit - abducens
What type of strabismus (misalignment of the eye from the usual visual axis) is seen with oculomotor nerve disease?
Lateral or ventrolateral strabismus +/- mydriasis (parasympathetic innervation form oculomotor)
What type of strabismus is seen with trochlear nerve disease?
Intortion of the globe (only seen in non rounded pupils) or when evaluate fundus and see tilted
What type of strabismus is seen with abducens nerve disease?
Medial strabismus
Lack of retractor bulbi = absent corneal reflex
How can you differentiate a globe deviation such as strabismus from a mechanical impediment within the orbit?
Traction test - done under sedation with local anaesthetic
Can you rotate globe manually
If mechanical impediment - feel traction
What are the steps to follow for work up of a patient with suspected orbital disease?
Full history - duration, onset, previous ocular disease, tendency to play with foreign objects, sticks, bones etc
PE
Head/skull examination
Orbital palpation
Oral examination (if patient allows)
Ophthalmic examination (including neuro-ophthalmic assessment)
Localisation of intraconal or extraconal process
Haematology/Biochemistry
Orbital imaging
What can you do on physical exam to try and help determine if an eye if exophthalmic?
Examine from above
Resting hands over both eyes and feeling advancement of one of them or gently retropulsing globes can help
When performing an examination of the head for a patient with suspect orbital disease what should you focus on?
Palpation of temporal muscles (pain response - acute masticatory muscle myositis)
Crepitus/emphysema - may indicate bony fracture
Auscultation of orbit - bruit = orbital vascular anomaly
Oral examination - ptergopalatine fossa (look for swelling or fistulas), dental disease (esp caudal maxillary teeth), stoma of zygomatic gland duct - opens in oral cavity opposite to 1st molar tooth (eryhema/swelling/discharge - zygomatic disease)
What steps of the ophthalmic exam should be performed when suspecting orbital disease?
All of them!
STT
Corneal sensation
Slit lamp exam
Fundic examination (looking for engorgement of retinal vasculature, papilloedema - optic nerve obstructed, globe impingement - orbital disease indenting globe), retinal detachment
Fluorescein staining
Tonometry
Neuro-ophthalmic evaluation also - PLR. menace, dazzle, vestibulocular reflex, palpebral,
What are the clinical characteristics of intraconal orbital disease (space within the muscle cone formed by the extrocular muscles)? What are the most common diseases of this type.
Axial exophthalmos
Absence or minimal protrusion of TEL
Absence or minimal strabismus
Limited ocular mobility in some instances
Most common - neoplasia of optic nerve, inflammatory myopathies
What are the clinical characteristics of extraconal orbital disease? (space outside the muscle cone but within the orbit)
What are the most common disease of this type?
Exophthalmos (non axial)
Globe deviation (deviation can provide information regarding location of the disease)
Protrusion of the TEL
Limited ocular motility
What is the difference between exophthalmos and buphthalmia?
Exophthalmos = globe deviated rostrally within orbit
Buphthalmia = globe bigger in diameter, globe itself larger
What options are there for orbital imaging?
Radiography (conventional and dental), Ultrasound, CT/MRI
When may radiography be a suitable imaging method for suspected orbital disease?
Suspicion of skull fractures (oblique views as well as standard)
Identification of radio-dense foreign bodies
Evaluate osteolysis (neoplasia)/bone remodelling
Can be difficult to interpret so cross sectional imaging (CT/MRI) generally preferred for orbital disease investigations.
What scenarios may you choose to use CT/MRI respectively for orbital disease work up?
CT - generally better if suspect bone involvement e.g extension of nasal neoplasia, orbital fracture, nasolacrimal involvement etc
MRI - better imaging modality for soft tissues
Downsides = cost, accessibility, and need for sedation/GA respectively.
When may ocular ultrasonography be helpful for orbital disease
7.5-10HZ transducer recommended
Can be performed conscious - corneal or temporal approach
Visual assessment of orbital cone and help visualise abnormalities within/outside cone
Can use contralateral orbit as reference
Will not help identify tissue or origin or malignancy or lesion
Good at detecting free fluid e.g orbital abscess/cellulitis
Ultrasound guided trucut biopsy may be possible in some cases where neoplasia suspeced.
Not helpful for disease affecting orbital apex
What is anophthalmos?
No globe developed (very rare) - most animals will have a primitive non functional ocular structure on histological exam
What is microphthalmos and what abnormalities are associated with it?
In which breeds is it associated as a hereditary defect?
Abnormally small eye with abnormalities
Other abnormalities present include - anterior segment dysgenesis, cataracts, persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous/persistent hyaloid artery, retinal dysplasia
Doberman - microphthalmia with anterior segment dysgenesis and retinal dysplasia
Minature Schnauzer - with cataracts, microphakia, posterior lenticonus, nystagmus and retinal dysplasia
Cavalier - cataracts, nystagmus, posterior lenticonus and persistent hyaloid artery
Australian Shepherd - equatorial staphyloma, persistent pupillary membrane, iris colobomas, retinal dysplasia (linked to merle gene)
What is nanophthalmos?
Abnormally small eye without other abnormalities
What can be done in cases of microphthalmos where protrusion of the third eyelid limits vision?
If causing significant visual deficits then can consider shortening of the cartilage
(Never recommended to remove the whole nictitating membrane)
What is hydrophthalmos?
Associated with congenital glaucoma and can be unilateral or bilateral due to abnormalities in AH outflow pathway.
Enlargement of globe occurs and is dramatic in young animals
(Has been used synonomously in vet med with buphthalmos)
What is the difference between microphthalmia and a phthysical globe?
Microphthalmia = congentially small globe
Phthisis bulbi = atrophied globe and is acquired
Which breeds can have an enophthalmos (abnormal posterior position) as a developmental abnormality - deep orbit and small globe?
Dolichocephalic breeds typically - English Bull Terrier, Rough and Smoot Collies, Dobermann, Flat coated retrievers
Often have prominent nictitating membrane and medial canthal pocket syndrome due to gap or pocket at medioventral canthus where mucus and debris accumulate.
No specific treatment - just management with routine hygeine
Which breeds have an exophthalmic conformation? How can their conformation be managed?
Typically brachycephalic - extreme conformation
Incomplete blink/patient sleeps with eyes partially open or only partially closed
Tear replacement substitutes recommended even if normal tear production (paraffin based at nights)
Also consider surgical reduction of macropalpebral fissures - medial or lateral canthoplasties to improve blink and facilitate corneal protection.
What is an orbital arteriovenous fistula? (OAV fistula)
Rare congenital or acquired (spontaneous, post traumatic or vascular neoplasia) conditon
Abnormal communiciation between orbital arteries and veins
Increased venous (may also see pulsatile jugular) and orbital pressure - pulsatile exophthalmia or bruit auscultatable over temporal region
Diagnosis confirmed colour flow Doppler or CT angiography
No successful treatment to preserve globe.
What are orbital varices?
Congential disease of orbital veins.
Exophthalmos that worsens with exercise but can eventually become persistent
Coil emobilization reported in one dog
Significant exophthalmia and advanced intervention not possible - careful exenteration is indicated - careful pre-op planning due to risk of intra op haemorrhage.
What are orbital dermoids?
Dermoids are developmental choristomas (normal ectoderm tissue developing in abnormal location)
Orbital dermoids can contain many tissue types.
Confirmation with histopathology
Dermoids slow growing and this can determine age/presentation
Leakage of keratin/lipids can occur from dermoids causing secondary inflammation and complicating removal.
Which breeds may be affected by craniomandibular osteopathy and what is this disease?
Non neoplastic proliferation of tissue
WHWHT, Cairn Terriers and Scottish Terriers
Affects mandible, tympanic bullae and other bones of skull including the occipital, temporal, sphenoid and/or parietal bones
Skull radiography best for demonstrating lesions.
No curative tx.