title: Visual outcomes following orbital biopsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risks of orbital biopsy depend on the lesion's location and relationship with surrounding structures. Complications include reduced vision, although visual outcomes following orbital biopsy are not widely reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine visual outcomes following orbital biopsy in Gartnavel General Hospital's Oculoplastic and Oncology Service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case note review of 50 consecutive patients undergoing orbital incision or excision biopsy between January 2006 and December 2010. Data collected included preoperative clinical examination, radiological and histological features, preoperative and postoperative corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and surgical complications. The main outcome measure was change in CDVA. Mean follow-up duration was 1.32 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological diagnoses following biopsy included idiopathic orbital inflammation (n = 13) and lymphoma (n = 9). Of the radiologically defined lesions, 86.7% were extraconal (13.3% intraconal). Extraconal lesions were anterior in 59.0% (41.0% posterior). Mean preoperative LogMAR CDVA was 0.10 which was maintained at day one post-biopsy, indicating the absence of immediate sight-threatening complications such as retrobulbar haemorrhage or optic nerve compression, and there was no significant reduction at one-year follow-up (p = 0.239). Further analysis of change in CDVA showed no difference between: anterior and posterior lesions; extraconal and intraconal lesions; incision and excision biopsies; anterior and lateral surgical approaches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CDVA is retained for one year following orbital biopsy. Significant visual loss is a very rare complication of this procedure.
authors.affiliation: Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology, Gartnavel General Hospital , Glasgow , Scotland and.
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamison
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Douglas A M
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lyall
authors.forename: Ewan G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kemp
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014787:Vision Tests; D014792:Visual Acuity