About the eye sockets

The orbits (eye sockets) are depressions in the skull where the eyes are located.
The eyes connect to the orbital wall bones via muscles that control eye and eyelid movements.
The eye orbits also contain nerves and blood vessels surrounded by fat tissue.

Eye socket conditions that can threaten vision include:

• Infections and inflammations in the eye socket
• Thyroid disease
• Fractures from traumatic injuries
• Tumors

Orbital fractures

Orbital fractures in the lower and inner socket walls are more common than fractures in the
thick outer wall or in the top (roof) of the socket. In addition to orbital fractures caused by
injury, eye socket trauma typically involves other injuries such as damage to the eye muscles,
optic nerves, or infraorbital nerve, which controls feelings in the face, cheek area, upper lip,
and front teeth. Eyeball displacement or submersion, or limitations in eye movement can also
result from orbital injury. In addition, facial trauma can also involve upper jaw fractures and
tear duct blockages, as with a Le Fort fracture of the skull, a fracture across the midface.

Repair of eye socket fractures 

Surgeons at Assuta use orbital wall reconstruction to permanently position the bones using
materials that can integrate in the body, such titanium or other special artificial materials.
Surgeons have a number of options for performing the surgery, depending upon the location
of the break. The most common incision is through the conjunctiva in the lower eyelid, but
surgeons can also make incisions under the lashes of the lower eyelid or in the fold of the
upper eyelid.

To perform the repair operation, surgeons typically make one or more small incisions in order
to avoid the scarring that large incisions can leave after surgery. Orbital fracture repair surgery
is performed under general anesthesia.