[The ophthalmological symptoms of craniopharyngiomas]

Clinical symptoms of craniopharyngioma, a benign tumor, are determined by its effects on the adjacent structures, the optic route being one of them. Ophthalmologic symptoms of craniopharyngiomas reflect the tumor localization and predominant growth and depend on patient's age. Visual disturbances are among the first symptoms of the disease, particularly so in adult patients. The pathogenesis of visual disturbances in craniopharyngiomas is determined by several components: vascular factor, mechanic influence of a volumic formation and brain base major vessels on the optic route structures, toxic effects, and the presence of an optic route nervous tissue edema. It should be noted that visual disturbances may not manifest up to a certain moment because of a high resistance of the optic route nervous tissue.