Sinusitis can Make You Blind
The eyes and brain are located around the sinus cavities. Therefore, when sinus infection spreads to the environment, it can lead to inflammation of the facial bones called osteitis, and when it spreads to the eye, it can lead to blindness.
The bone cavities in the bones around the nose are called sinuses. Inflammation of these cavities is called sinusitis. The maxillary sinus is the sinus located in the upper jaw bone on the sides of the nose and is the largest of the sinuses. When these small holes of the sinuses opening into the nose are blocked for any reason, infection and related disease findings occur in the sinuses. The cause of this blockage can be a simple prolonged upper respiratory tract infection, nasal allergies, bone or cartilage curvatures in the nose, or even flesh growths in the nose. Since the sinuses are of different sizes in each person, they have a role in the formation of the type of voice, as well as in reducing the weight of the head since they are filled with air. Their most important function is to heat and humidify the inhaled air and to clean and expel particles and harmful organisms in the air by secreting a certain amount of secretions every day.
Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Specialist Opr. Dr. Özcan Acuner warned about sinusitis and stated that especially not staying in the cold and not keeping the hair wet is one of the main ways of protection. Pointing out that the first and most common complication of sinusitis is the spread of inflammation into the eye socket and can lead to blindness, Dr. Acuner stated that it is possible to prevent the disease with the measures to be taken.
Symptoms of Sinusitis
Dr. Acuner, who warned about the symptoms of sinusitis, continued his words as follows: “Sinusitis is generally divided into acute and chronic. Acute sinusitis means newly formed sinusitis. It heals completely when treated appropriately. However, chronic sinusitis means a continuous inflammation in the sinuses and is difficult to treat. Symptoms of acute and chronic sinusitis are different from each other. One of the most disturbing complaints in acute sinusitis is pain. Depending on which sinus is inflamed, this can be in the form of headache, facial pain or pain around the eyes. The pain usually increases with leaning forward. This pain increases by pressing or hitting the area on the face that fits the sinus. The most common symptoms of sinusitis:
- Nasal congestion,
- Runny nose,
- Decreased sense of smell,
- Nasal discharge,
- Fire,
- Pain in the jaw and teeth,
- Bad breath,
- Nosebleeds,
- Facial swelling,
- Bruising under the eyes
Swelling of the face and bruising under the eyes are more common in children. Cough is a symptom of both acute and chronic sinusitis. In chronic sinusitis, complaints are milder, although they last longer. Pain is less frequent and sometimes even absent. The patient is mostly bothered by nasal discharge and associated sore throat and cough. Apart from this, nasal congestion, a feeling of fullness in the face and bad breath are also experienced. Patients with chronic sinusitis can sometimes experience acute periods that can occur in attacks.
Danger up to Blindness
Pointing out that the spread of inflammation into the eye socket can cause blindness, Dr. Acuner said, “The first and most common complication of sinusitis is the spread of inflammation into the eye socket and diseases that can lead to blindness. In such a case, pain is felt in the eye. There may be outward swelling and bruising around the eye. More rare complications include the spread of inflammation into the meninges or the brain, abscess formation, abscesses in the sinus and bone inflammation. In such cases, treatment must be more serious and requires surgery along with medication. There are a few things that patients can pay attention to in order not to get sinusitis or to be treated easily if they do. For this, measures such as not staying in the cold, not keeping the hair wet, keeping the humidity and temperature of the environment they live in appropriate, not staying even in the smoke of cigarettes, staying away from dust, smoke or other irritants that can cause allergies can be taken. In the event that viral infections of the upper respiratory tract such as colds or flu last longer, more serious treatments can prevent the disease from prolonging and turning into a sinus infection.”
June 2023
