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Laughter-Induced Transient Vision Loss in a Patient With Silent Sinus Syndrome
Sara N Reggie1, Krishna Kalyam, John B Holds
1Department of Ophthalmology (SNR, JBH, SMC), St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (KK), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; and Ophthalmic Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Inc. (JBH), St. Louis, Missouri.
Background:
To report a patient with silent sinus syndrome (SSS) who experienced transient ipsilateral monocular vision loss during intense laughter.
Methods:
Case report.
Results:
Our patient's transient vision loss completely resolved after maxillary sinus decompression and during 7 months of follow-up.
Conclusions:
Although the precise mechanism of our patient's vision loss remains undetermined, we suspect that the vascular supply to the eye and/or the optic nerve was compromised as the result of the combination of laughter (causing Valsalva maneuver and increased intrathoracic pressure) and SSS.
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