[Painful Globe Luxation].

BACKGROUND

Globe luxation due to incarceration of the eyelids behind the globe can occur in patients with proptosis and lax eyelids. It is important to identify this rare event to prevent recurrent episodes with possible serious complications, such as optic neuropathy.

HISTORY AND SIGNS

We present two patients (aged 54 and 83, both male) with recurrent painful globe luxation due to lid incarceration. In the 54-year-old patient, the symptoms occurred in association with exophthalmos in longstanding Graves' disease. The 83-year-old patient presented with physiological protrusion due to adipositas and floppy eyelid syndrome as underlying cause.

THERAPY AND OUTCOME

In both cases, a lateral tarsorrhaphy was performed and further globe luxations with incarcerations of the eyelids and its sequels could be prevented.

CONCLUSION

Globe luxations due to intermittent incarcerations of the eyelids are rare and diagnosis is often missed. It can also be associated with serious sequels and must be recognized and treated early.