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Setting sun eye in normal healthy infants
Farideh Nejat1, Shahrooz Yazdani, Mostafa El Khashab
1Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Medical Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. nejat@sina.tums.ac.ir
Insights
Setting sun eye in infants, often a sign of serious illness, can also appear as a sole finding in healthy babies. This condition typically resolves on its own within months without intervention.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Neonatal Neurology
Background:
- Setting sun eye is a recognized indicator of increased intracranial pressure.
- However, it can rarely manifest in healthy infants without neurological compromise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and monitor the "setting sun eye" phenomenon in healthy infants.
- To differentiate this presentation from signs of serious intracranial pathology.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study included 15 healthy infants presenting with "setting sun eye."
- Evaluations involved brain imaging, thyroid function tests, and serum calcium/phosphorus levels.
- Infants were followed until 2 years of age.
Main Results:
- All infants had normal brain imaging and laboratory results.
- The "setting sun eye" sign gradually resolved in all cases within 2-8 months.
- Resolution occurred without any specific medical intervention.
Conclusions:
- "Setting sun eye" as an isolated finding in otherwise healthy infants typically follows a benign course.
- This presentation does not necessarily indicate underlying intracranial disease.
- The condition resolves spontaneously, usually before the age of 2 years.
Background:
The setting sun eye is a common sign associated with severe disorders signifying intracranial hypertension. Rarely it can be observed in a healthy infant. We conducted this study to evaluate and follow setting sun eye in normal infants without any obvious intracranial diseases.
Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Children's Hospital Medical Center in Tehran from June 2001 to 2006. The study included 15 healthy infants who were referred to the neurosurgery clinic for setting sun eye. All were evaluated with brain imaging, and laboratory tests including at least thyroid function tests, and serum calcium and phosphorus. The cases were followed by regular outpatient visits until the age of 2 years.
Results:
They were 3-8 months old at the time of referring to the outpatient clinic. Setting sun eye was observed by the mother in all cases and confirmed during their visit to the clinic. All had normal brain imaging and normal laboratory tests (thyroid function and electrolytes). Setting sun eye disappeared gradually during the follow-up period with a range of 2-8 months after detection by the mother.
Conclusion:
Despite the fact that setting sun eye is a grave sign, most commonly accompanied by other neurological signs and symptoms suggesting serious diseases, it might be observed as a sole finding in a totally normal infant with inconclusive brain imaging and laboratory tests. We found that this type of setting sun eye has a benign course and will disappear without any intervention several months after its detection (commonly before the age of 2 years without any intervention).
