Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 7, 2025

Grossing of Non-neoplastic Globes, Including Fetal Eyes
Published on: May 30, 2025
Bilateral enlargement of all extraocular muscles: a presenting ophthalmic sign of hematologic malignancy
Makayla McCoskey1, Edith R Reshef1, Natalie Wolkow1,2
1Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery Service, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract:
Hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma can frequently present in the orbit; however, involvement of the extraocular muscles is rare. The authors report two cases of systemic hematologic malignancy presenting with bilateral extraocular muscle enlargement and associated compressive optic neuropathy (CON). Both patients experienced clinical and radiographic improvement of ocular and systemic manifestations of disease with prompt initiation of targeted chemotherapy. These cases highlight the importance of including hematologic malignancy in the differential diagnosis of atypical bilateral extraocular muscle enlargement.
Related Concept Videos
Accessory Structures of the Eye
Muscles of the Eye
Extraocular Muscles
The six extraocular muscles surround the eyeball and control its movements. They are responsible for a wide range of eye motions, including looking up, down, left, right, and...
Veins of Head and Neck
On the other hand, the vertebral veins, unlike their arterial counterparts, are not primarily responsible for brain drainage. Instead, they drain the cervical vertebrae, spinal cord, and some small...
Glaucoma: Overview

