Hodgkin's disease of the orbit with intracranial extension

A rare presentation of intraorbital Hodgkin's lymphoma in a patient without prior history of systemic disease who complained of episodic monocular visual loss with minimal proptosis is reviewed. The case is further distinguished by intracranial extension of the tumor. A literature review highlights such an unusual event against the background of prior experience. Despite the fact Hodgkin's disease accounts for about 30% of systemic lymphomas, it rarely occurs in the orbit, where non-Hodgkin's lymphomas account for practically all lymphomas studied. Hodgkin's disease has occurred in patients with known systemic disease in its terminal stages and usually with proptosis as the presenting symptom. We present the case of a young man with intraorbital Hodgkin's disease whose presenting symptom was recurrent transient episodes of complete monocular visual loss. His condition was further distinguished by seeding of the skull base and dura by tumor.