Q: My brother's right eyeball has been slightly bulging out a couple of days back and he also has slight persistent pain in the eye. He wears contact lenses. On referring to a doctor at Guwahati, he advised CECT scan of orbit (Axial & Coronal) and the report reveals a well circumscribed mass lesion measuring 1.9 x 2.1 cm in diameter involving retro-bulbar space in intraconal compartment of the right orbit. The mass has displaced the eyeball anteriorly producing proptosis. Possibilities inferred areSchwannoma / lymphoma / Haemangioma. We were told that immediate surgery has to be done and the possibility of regaining the vision in the right eye is just 5%. I am writing the same seeking your advice: 1) Is there any possibility to keep the eye sight intact? 2) Best possible institute / specialist for the surgery at Delhi. 3) The possible cost involved.

A:The patient appears to have an intraconal space occupying lesion in the right orbit (D/D Schwannoma/lymphoma/Haemangioma). The surgery is highly specialised and must be attempted only by experienced neuro-ophthalmic surgeons specialising in orbital tumours as may be available only in large teaching hospitals. Dr. SM Betharia, RP Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi and Dr. Santosh Honavar at the LVPEI, Hyderabad are two such. I am not in a position to determine the said costs of the operation, but it may cost anything from approx. Rs. 20,000 up to Rs. 1,00,000.