Choroidal folds and refractive errors associated with orbital tumors. An analysis

Abstract

Twenty patients with unilateral exophthalmos secondary to orbital tumors underwent fundus photography; 16 underwent fluorescein angiography. Choroidal folds were found in 15 eyes. The location of each tumor with respect to the globe was determined by computed tomography. In addition, most patients underwent B-scan ultrasonography and surgical exploratory procedures. Choroidal folds were more common in patients with greater amounts of exophthalmos and with anteriorly located tumors. Moreover, the pattern of choroidal folds generally reflected the location of the tumor within the orbit. Comparison with the uninvolved fellow eyes showed that preoperative refractive errors were usually shifted toward hyperopia with intraconal tumors, whereas extraconal tumors were typically associated with higher astigmatic errors on the involved side.