Blepharoplasty revealing orbital lymphoma

Primary Orbital Lymphoma – A Challenging Diagnosis

Background and purpose: The occurrence of primary orbital lymphoma comprises approximately 1% of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and 8% of extranodal lymphoma. The vast majority of orbital lymphomas are of B-cell origin, of which extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma is the most common subtype. The purpose of this paper was to present the diagnostic challenges in a case of orbital lymphoma. Case presentation: An 84-year -old woman with orbital tumour was operated on after a long period of inappropriate treatment. It was later diagnosed as B-cell lymphoma.

Conclusion: Orbital lymphoma can be easily mistaken for another ocular disease due to the slowly progressing non-specific complaints of the patients. We should be alert to the possibility of this ocular diagnosis when we are presented with an elderly patient with proptosis.