Optic neuritis as a complication of inflammatory pathology of the paranasal sinuses

Background. Orbital complications of sinusitis are a group of diseases of the eye socket that develop against the background of inflammatory lesions of the paranasal sinuses. According to many authors, inflammation of the maxillary sinuses ranks first followed by inflammation of the ethmoidal labyrinths and of the sphenoid sinuses. Objective: to analyze the frequency of occurrence and clinical characteristics of optic neuritis, which arose as a result of inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Materials and methods. We examined 43 patients (43 eyes), 14 women (32.6 %) and 29 men (67.4 %) aged 19 to 58 years, with a diagnosis of optic neuritis. After examination and history taking, we suspected that neuritis was caused by inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. In all patients, a unilateral process was observed. A general clinical examination, determination of visual acuity, visual fields, ophthalmoscopy, computed tomography, anterior and posterior rhinoscopy, pharyngoscopy, radiography in direct projections and aiming lateral projection, endoscopy were carried out. Results. The main clinical complaints of patients about deterioration or loss of vision, headaches, more often in the area of the temple and the back of the head, and when tilting the head forward, difficulty breathing and discharge from the nose, weakness, temperature give us reason to suspect an inflammatory process in the paranasal sinuses. Sphenoiditis is recognized as the most common cause of optic neuritis due to inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. This is because the optic nerve is most often located close to the posterior ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses without contact or deepening of the wall. Sinusitis ranks second, followed by frontal sinusitis. Conclusions. Sphenoiditis is most often diagnosed as the cause of serious complications, such as optic neuritis, meningitis. Inflammation of the paranasal sinuses can cause very serious complications: optic neuritis, meningitis, cavernous sinus thrombosis. In all cases when this disease is only suspected, it is necessary to urgently take measures for differential diagnosis and treatment. Most often, the sphenoid sinus is involved in the inflammatory process of the optic nerve (neuritis), which requires immediate treatment to prevent complications.