No abstract

Fifteen patients suffering from visual disturbance of varying degrees caused by a mucocele of the posterior ethmoid and/or sphenoid sinuses underwent marsupialization of a mucocele into the nasal cavity. Five of the eight patients with severe visual loss worse than 20/200 showed recovery of measurable vision. Two of these five were operated on within 24 hours after the onset of visual loss and showed marked recovery to 20/25 and 20/15. The other seven patients who had relatively mild visual disturbance experienced improvement of visual acuity or remission of subjective complaints such as blurred vision post-operatively. During operation partial bony defect was found in the optic canal in 12 patients and in the skull base in 12 patients. A good understanding of this disease by ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists is essential for early diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment to avoid permanent visual dysfunction and operative sequelae.

The relationship of paranasal sinusitis to optic neuritis remains controversial.