An orbital tissue retractor 10 for use in a surgical operation in the region of an eye socket, comprises an orbital tissue retractor body 12 and a handle 14 extending therefrom for manipulation of the tissue retractor body by a surgeon. The tissue retractor body comprises a channel formation 16 defining a channel 17. The channel formation 16 has a pair of spaced side wall sections 24 which define concave curved ocular abutment formations 26 which conform to an anatomical curvature of the ocular globe for abutment with the ocular globe N. The tissue retractor body has open proximal end 22 and an open distal end 20. The tissue retractor body tapers from the proximal end to the distal end, with a portion of the channel formation at the distal end being curved so as to accommodate and cradle the optic nerve therein. The retractor body has a curved base wall section 28 conforming to an anatomical curvature of the orbit.
