To report a case of rapidly progressed orbital abscess after central retinal artery occlusion.

A 60-year-old man with right periorbital pain and edema starting 3 days earlier visited the hospital. His first visual acuity was 1.0 for the right eye with peripheral edema and tenderness; severe hemorrhagic chemosis, proptosis (approximately 3 mm) and extraocular motility limitation were also observed. According to the CT findings, a 2.5 × 1 cm-sized encapsulated cystic mass was found in the right orbital cavity, along the medial orbital wall; with a diagnosis of orbital abscess, he was hospitalized with systemic antibiotic treatment and abscess drainage. On the second day of hospitalization, the best corrected visual acuity was reduced to light perception, and relative afferent pupillary defect, pale retina and cherry red spot were found. Therefore, emergent incisional drainage, optic massage, and antibiotics were given to the patient. Immediately after the surgery, the peripheral edema and proptosis improved; nevertheless, central retinal artery occlusion did not resolve and vision did not improve. Two months later, best corrected visual acuity for the right eye was counting fingers and central retinal artery occlusion showed no further improvement.

No case report on rapidly progressing orbital abscess has been proposed in Korea to date. In the case of rapidly progressed orbital abscess, incisional drainage and antibiotics should be administered promptly.