enophthalmos
Pronunciation: en-off-THAL-mos
Posterior displacement or sunken appearance of the eye within the orbit.
Full Definition
Enophthalmos is the abnormal posterior positioning of the eyeball within the orbit, creating a sunken eye appearance. This condition commonly occurs as a complication of orbital floor fractures, particularly blow-out fractures, where orbital fat and extraocular muscles can herniate into the maxillary sinus. The condition may also result from loss of orbital volume due to inadequate fracture repair. Patients may experience diplopia, decreased visual acuity, and cosmetic concerns. Prevention requires proper restoration of orbital anatomy during surgical repair of orbital fractures, often using bone grafts or implants to restore normal orbital volume.
Usage
Usage note: Document the degree of enophthalmos in millimeters when measuring with exophthalmometry.
In Context
- "The patient developed mild enophthalmos secondary to inadequate orbital floor reconstruction." — Complication assessment
- "To prevent enophthalmos, the orbital floor defect was reconstructed using a titanium mesh implant." — Operative technique description