Effect of sinus surgery on visual disturbance caused by spheno-ethmoid mucoceles

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.