[Recent advances in the studies of orbital diseases]

Orbital diseases are not common, but they are closely related with various systems of the body. A significant progress in orbital diseases has been achieved both in China and abroad in the last several years. The study of etiology of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy and the establishment of an experimental animal model have provided the hope for a novel treatment of this disease; the studies of rhabdomyosarcoma and tumors of lacrimal gland at the molecular level have provided the basis for the development of a novel treatment; new plaque radiotherapy and application of various kinds of seed have enriched the treatment and improved the prognosis of orbital tumors. Some significant progresses, for example, a new viewpoint of meningioma of the optic nerve sheath and glioma, improved approach for entering the orbit and complex treatment of malignant tumors have revealed a new path for the diagnosis and treatment of orbital disease.