Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Role of Diffusion MRI Tractography in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery
Published on: July 5, 2021
Adult nasal glioma presenting with visual loss
A Majithia1, S H Liyanage, R Hewitt
1Department of Otolaryngology, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK. anoojmajithia@hotmail.com
Objectives:
We report a rare case of a nasal glioma found incidentally in an adult, presenting with visual loss, optic nerve oedema and proptosis.
Case Report:
A 41-year-old woman presented with bilateral proptosis, impairment in visual acuity (6/60 bilaterally) and loss of colour vision. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed proptosis, bilateral optic nerve swelling and a heterogeneous mass occupying the left nasal cavity and extending through a skull base defect into the anterior cranial fossa. Biopsy confirmed a nasal glioma. Treatment with intravenous dexamethasone resolved the proptosis, and the patient's visual acuity recovered to 6/9 bilaterally. At the multidisciplinary team meeting, it was felt that the nasal glioma probably represented an incidental finding and was not directly responsible for the patient's proptosis and transient visual loss.
Conclusion:
To our knowledge, this is the first report in the English language literature of adult nasal glioma presenting with visual loss. The management of nasal gliomas in adults is contentious and the relevant literature is reviewed. This case was managed conservatively with regular follow up.
Related Concept Videos
Glaucoma: Overview
Prosopagnosia
Visual Agnosia
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
