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What is it about ?
A serious eyelid infection is an infection of the skin of the eyelids that penetrates deep into the subcutaneous tissue (cellulitis). The infection may be limited to the eyelids (preseptal cellulitis), but it can also spread to the eye socket (orbital cellulitis), and even to the brain. If left untreated, orbital cellulitis can lead to loss of sight (blindness) or death.
Preseptal cellulitis can result from superficial eye infections that have not been treated properly, such as contamination after a fall in which the eye area has touched the ground.
Orbital cellulitis can result from sinusitis or another condition that behaves aggressively and spreads towards the orbit. Fortunately, this complication is not frequent.
How to recognize them?
The eyelids are very swollen and red. In the case of orbital cellulitis, eye movements are severely limited. The eye will also become slightly protruding (bulging) from the pressure of the infected tissue around the eye socket. Most of the time, the vision is worse and can be twofold.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor can already carry out an initial assessment by sight and by means of a quick examination (he checks, for example, whether the eye still moves easily in all directions).
If the doctor suspects the most serious form, namely orbital cellulitis, he will immediately refer you to an emergency department for an imaging test (CT scan or MRI) which will determine the exact location of the infection. and its extent.
What can you do ?
Always contact the doctor if you have swelling, redness, warmth and pain (signs of infection) in an eyelid.
Seek immediate medical attention if you have warning symptoms such as swollen eyelid associated with pain, swelling, reduced vision and eye movement problems.
What can your doctor do?
An eyelid sore often needs to be treated with antibiotics, as the infection can spread quickly. Your GP may prescribe antibiotics, possibly in combination with eye drops or ointment.
If the infection spreads and cellulitis occurs, the general practitioner will refer you to the hospital: the wound will be surgically cleaned and antibiotics will be administered.
Orbital cellulitis is an emergency for ophthalmologists and “nose-throat-ears” (ENT or otorhinolaryngologists). Urgent imaging and surgery are needed, for example, to remove abscesses. You will then be admitted to the hospital for close monitoring and treatment with antibiotics as an infusion. Cortisone treatment is sometimes also necessary.
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