Healthcare | Monday 28 November, 2016 9:06 am |

Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, one of the Middle East's leading eye hospitals and a branch of the world renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, has successfully performed a highly complex surgical procedure in which a team removed a large tumour from behind a 26 year old Arab woman's eye. The tumour was causing the eye to bulge forward and was threatening her vision, by compressing the nerve at the back of the eye.

It was a large benign tumour measuring 2.2 X 2.1 X 1.2 cm and though it did not spread to other parts of the body it continuously increased in size to compress the surrounding tissues. The tumour was completely removed during the operation where a 'window' was cut through the bone at the outer side of the eye socket, a lateral orbitotomy, leaving the eye intact. She was discharged the following day, with her vision fully restored.    

Dr. Yassir Abou-Rayyah, Consultant Ophthalmic & Oculoplastic Surgeon at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, who led the surgical team, commented: "This was a very severe case and a very complex surgical procedure to remove the massive tumour and relieve the pressure on the optic nerve and the forward bulging of the eye. In fact, the bulge was the symptom that revealed the presence of the tumour and so it was an important part of the diagnosis. The pressure on the optic nerve was more dangerous and a threat to the vision of the patient. We believe this is the first time that this procedure has been carried out in the UAE and we are delighted with the patient's recovery and response."

Orbital tumours may present with a range of symptoms, from gradual, painless fogging or dimming of vision to bleeding that can cause sudden visual loss. If the tumour is large, there may be proptosis, or eye bulging with limitation of eye movements, as in this case. Benign tumours are only treated if there is a complication like vision loss and surgical excision of the tumour is only necessary for extreme cases. Tumours often go undiscovered unless or until they make the eye stick out or affect the vision.