Purpose. To warn the ophthalmologist to consider orbital dirofilariasis in
the differential diagnosis of inflammatory masses of the orbit.
Patients. Two cases with non-specific swelling and pain of the orbit who ha
d a initial diagnosis of "inflammatory pseudotumor of the orbit"
Results. These are two new cases of orbital dirofilariasis.
Conclusion. In the ophthalmic literature, the highest incidence of ocular d
irofilariasis is reported in Italy. Since both these patients had no histor
y of travel in endemic areas of Dirofilaria, this parasitic infection is pr
esumably not rare in Italy and is probably underdiagnosed.