What is the typical cause of a blowout fracture?

A blowout fracture typically occurs due to a direct impact to the eye, which causes increased pressure in the orbital cavity and results in fractures of the bones that form the eye socket. This kind of injury often happens in contact sports or accidents where there is a significant force applied to the facial region, leading to a failure of the bony structure around the eye.

This mechanism is distinct from other types of fractures, such as those caused by high-velocity projectiles, which might result in a different pattern of injury, or spontaneous fractures that relate to underlying bone conditions, rather than the application of an external force. Furthermore, extreme twisting motions usually lead to injuries associated with ligamentous or muscle structures rather than directly affecting the bony architecture of the orbit in a way that would produce a blowout fracture. Understanding this distinction clarifies why a direct impact to the eye is the primary cause of blowout fractures.