Orbital Trauma

The orbit, or eye socket, is the bony structure that houses the eye and all of its associated structures.  In the orbit, the eyeball is surrounded by muscles that help it move, nerves that communicate with these muscles and the brain, fatty tissues that help cushion and support the eye, and a number of other tissues.  Blunt force trauma to the head or eye socket may cause damage or fracture of the orbital bones, sometimes called a “blowout fracture.”  Although all orbital fractures do not require surgical intervention, surgery is typically required if there is resulting double vision (from damage, misalignment, or trapping of the eye movement muscles), a sinking in of the eye, or if the fracture is very large.