Prognostic Analysis of Seven Cases of Sinus Cysts With Visual Dysfunction

Introduction Sinus cysts associated with visual impairment require surgical drainage of the cyst, and emergency surgery is often necessary, particularly in cases involving visual impairment. In this study, we examine the optimal timing of surgery with respect to visual prognosis, based on our own cases and a review of the literature. Materials and methods From April 2020 to March 2025, seven patients with sinus cysts and visual impairment underwent endoscopic surgery at the Department of Otolaryngology at Osaka Metropolitan University. Of these seven cases, three involved visual acuity impairment, three involved visual field impairment, and one involved diplopia. Results We conducted a further analysis of the three cases with decreased visual acuity. All cases of visual impairment underwent emergency surgery on the day of the initial consultation. Those with preoperative visual acuity between 0.1 and 1.0 recovered their original visual acuity. Conversely, the case with light perception showed only slight improvement. Conclusions Time from onset to treatment and preoperative visual acuity were considered important factors in the postoperative visual prognosis. For patients with visual impairment, especially those with severe preoperative visual acuity, emergency surgery was deemed necessary. In cases of diplopia, there is a high likelihood of improvement even with elective surgery performed in a planned manner after preoperative examinations and surgery scheduling. Because few cases of visual field defects have been reported, further case accumulation is warranted.