Chronic dacryoadenitis misdiagnosed as eyelid edema and allergic conjunctivitis.
OBJECTIVE
To report the case of a 53-year-old woman with a 2-year history of episodic upper eyelid swelling and nonspecific complaints, who was diagnosed as having allergic conjunctivitis.


METHODS
A complete ocular examination, orbital computerized tomographic (CT) scans followed by complete physical and systemic examinations.


RESULTS
The results of physical and systemic examinations were unremarkable for systemic lymphoma and a primary focus of cancer. The results of the ocular examination were normal. CT scans demonstrated well-defined lesions bilaterally with a homogeneous internal structure in the lacrimal gland fossa, which suggested a diagnosis of chronic dacryoadenitis. The differential diagnosis included lymphoma and orbital metastases. The patient refused a biopsy and was started on a tapering dose of 60 mg oral prednisolone daily. The follow-up CT scans 1 month after cessation of 6-week oral corticosteroid treatment showed near complete resolution of the orbital lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
This case demonstrates that orbital inflammation can be misdiagnosed as refractory allergic conjunctivitis.
Gündüz
K
K
Ocular Oncology Service, Eye Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University, Turkey.
Günalp
I
I
Gürses Ozden
R
R
D002908:Chronic Disease; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003607:Dacryocystitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004487:Edema / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed