Decompression of the orbit and the optic nerve in different diseases.

During the past six years, visual loss in 60 patients was caused by infectious processes and mucoceles of the ethmoid region, benign paranasal tumours, endocrine ophthalmopathies, head trauma etc. Comparison of preoperative and postoperative visual function in 48 cases treated by decompression of the orbit and in 12 cases treated by decompression of the optic nerve demonstrated visual improvement of 68 percent on average. Surgically, we preferred the transethmoidal route and in some cases the lateral osteoplastic approach. With regard to the success of the surgical therapy, a correlation between the time of manifestation of the visual loss and the time of surgery was found. The results mainly depended on the underlying diseases.