Orbit Health Dictionary

The socket in the skull containing the eyeball, protective fat, blood vessels, muscles, and nerves. The optic nerve passes into the brain through an opening in the back of the orbit.

A severe blow to the face may fracture the orbit, but the eyeball is often undamaged as it can move back into the socket.

Fractures often heal without treatment, but some cause deformity and require corrective surgery.

Rarely, bacterial infection spreads from a sinus or the face to cause orbital cellulitis.

See EYE.

n. the cavity in the skull that contains the eye. It is formed from parts of the frontal, sphenoid, zygomatic, lacrimal, ethmoid, palatine, and maxillary bones. —orbital adj.