Orbital Myositis as Both a Presenting and Associated Extraintestinal Sign of Crohn's Disease

Orbital myositis is a rare extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease and has been reported to occur at variable times relative to gastrointestinal symptoms, including years before, concurrently to, and years after the gastrointestinal diagnosis. Here, the authors report 3 cases of Crohn's disease associated orbital myositis, adding to the 18 previously reported cases. The authors describe 2 cases of middle-aged females presenting with orbital myositis during clinical remission of Crohn's disease. The authors also describe the first reported case of orbital myositis-associated Crohn's disease diagnosed prior to any gastrointestinal symptoms in a teenage male presenting with corticosteroid responsive intermittent eyelid swelling. These cases underscore the importance of the Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeon in initiating a thorough systemic workup for cases of orbital inflammatory disease.