Clinical significance of hematic cyst of the orbit

Hematic cyst is a rarely encountered orbital lesion consisting of encapsulated blood or blood breakdown products. The abnormality may be recognized by identifying the cystic structure by B-scan ultrasonography or computed tomography. Cysts located peripherally in the orbit tend to have histologic features suggesting hematoma formation. More centrally located orbital cysts are sometimes associated with vascular abnormalities. In other cases, the etiology is obscure, as in the case presented here. The visual prognosis is usually good, and associated systemic abnormalities are lacking.