Current clinical diagnosis and management of orbital cellulitis

Introduction: Orbital cellulitis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the twenty-first century and it is a condition in which prompt diagnosis and treatment is critical. Orbital cellulitis is the inflammation and infection of the fat and muscles within the eye socket. This disease entity encompasses a spectrum of severity based on the Chandler Classification, from the relatively self-resolving condition of preseptal cellulitis, to the life-threatening cavernous sinus thrombosis. Areas covered: The goal of this review is to summarize the state of the art in diagnosis and management of orbital cellulitis. We will also discuss current areas of debate and potential avenues of future study. An extensive literature search was performed to conduct this review. We focused on the key articles which have changed clinical management of this disease. Expert opinion: Orbital cellulitis is more common in the pediatric population and is usually secondary to sinusitis. Interventions like vaccinations and antibiotics have reduced the burden of orbital cellulitis in the developed world. Increased awareness of the disease, risk stratification, and surgical management have greatly improved outcomes.