Abstract:
Introduction. Optic neuritis as a complication of idiopathic iridocyclitis is one of the
significant problems of modern ophthalmology. Among the reasons that contribute
to this are infectious diseases, viral infection and pathology of additional nasal
sinuses, including the main sinus.
Aim. To determine the possibility of a connection between the size of the main sinus
of the sphenoid bone and the development of optic neuritis in patients with anterior
idiopathic iridocyclitis.
Material and methods. There are 54 patients with anterior idiopathic iridocyclitis,
whose average age was 29.2±4.5 years, were examined. All patients underwent
acuity and field of vision, ophthalmoscopy, tomography and X-ray of additional
sinuses. The first cancellous group includes patients (4 people) in whom the first line
passes through the chiasma groove on the inspection craniogram of the main bone
(when analyzing the craniogram of the main bone, we divide it vertically into three
parts by lines). In the second pneumospongiosy group (11 patients), the border with
its posterior border reaches the line passing through the Turkish saddle. The third
group consists of patients whose sinuses are located from the middle of the Turkish
saddle (39 patients).
Results. The development of optic neuritis was observed only in 6 patients of the
third group (15.3%) in comparison with patients of the first and second groups, in
whom inflammation of the optic nerve was not detected. These patients had
decreased visual acuity, the appearance of relative and absolute scotoma in the field
of vision, swelling near the optic disc. The rehabilitation of these patients lasted 2
weeks longer. Given that with a developed sinus of the main bone, its walls become
thinner, the optic nerve is in close proximity to the sinus, due to which the
penetration of the inflammatory process and infection directly from the sinus to the
optic nerve is facilitated.
Conclusions. Optic neuritis was observed only in 6 patients of the third group, which
is 15.3% of the total number of examined persons, in whom a decrease in visual
acuity, a deterioration of the field of vision, and the appearance of edema near the
optic disc were noted.
