Etiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Orbital Infections

In the past 10 years a significant number of changes have been made in the treatment of orbital infections. Previously, these infections required admission to the hospital, extensive evaluation, and often surgery. Presently, preseptal cellulitis can be treated in a clinician's office with the use of oral antibiotics. Although orbital infections are still treated with parenteral antibiotics, they less frequently require surgical drainage. Many of these changes have been due to the changing bacteriology of orbital infections. This change in bacteriology has allowed clinicians to be much less aggressive in treating these infections.