Decreased orbital fat and enophthalmos due to bimatoprost: Quantitative analysis using magnetic resonance imaging

We quantitatively determined the relation between the decrease in orbital fat and enophthalmos due to bimatoprost using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Nine orbits in nine patients were treated unilaterally with bimatoprost for glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The contralateral orbits were used as controls. The volumes of the orbital tissues and the enophthalmos were measured using MRI. The mean volumes on the treated and untreated sides were, respectively, 14.6 ± 2.1 and 17.0 ± 4.3 cm3 for orbital fat (P = 0.04) and 3.4 ± 0.5 and 3.3 ± 0.5 cm3 for total extraocular muscles (P = 0.85). The mean enophthalmos values were 14.7 ± 2.5 and 16.0 ± 2.3 mm on the treated and untreated sides, respectively (P = 0.002). The data acquired by quantitatively measuring the volumes of orbital fat and enophthalmos on MRI showed that each might be reduced by bimatoprost administration. The enophthalmos could be caused by the bimatoprost-induced decrease in orbital fat.