can a severe sinus infection in the head and behind the eye that was operated on for cataracts severely infect an optic nerve and make you lose almost all your sight....my vision is now 20/200 in that eye and even with glasses on everything is blurry to the point i can't make out anything
135268
Infections of the orbit (the area around the eye) from sinusitis do occur.  These are aggressive in nature because they are bacterial infections.  If you had an infection in the orbit (behind the eye), it most likely required surgical drainage.  If you had sinusitis and felt pressure in your eye (or both eyes), this does not mean you had infection in the eye, but is a common symptom of sinusitis.\n\nNerves do not typically get infected, and the vision change would probably either be blindness or a blind spot in your eye (same goes for the retina).\n\nVisual changes have lots of reasons, but your greatest risk is associated with the recent surgery in that eye.  There is even risk of some dangerous changes (causing a type of glaucoma) after surgery that should not be ignored.  You should see the ophthalmologist who did your cataract surgery or a different one (if you didn't like that one) to get examined.\n\nBest of luck!
72626
omg yes , I have had sinus surgery and vowed never to have it again !!!!!!!! the only thing I can suggest is that you have the anesthesiologist  add a medicine that  is suppose to help you from throwing up after surgery , I don't know what it is called  but if you tell them they will know.... after surgery I threw up blood everywhere....and was not prepared  for it , they never gave me a bucket so I stood there throwing up blood into my hands...scary ! since then I learned about the medicine that can be added to  help you not be nauseous after wards (from a different operation) good luck !!!!!!!!!
438565
I have had many sinus infections in my life and I have never had pain with any of them. I sometimes though get occasional sinus headaches, or pressure behind my eyes and or teeth, but not pain. Probably because our sinuses are cavities (empty spaces). My children too have had sinus infections, and experienced pressure or headaches, but not pain. Your son's cough could be due to drainage even though it sounds dry and non-productive, but it could also be from all the antihistamines he's on, he could be dried out. My kids doctors have always said for sinus cavities they needed to be on an antibiotic for up to 21 days, because those types of infections are harder to clear up due to there reclusive location. The cough sounds deep because he coughs so much, plus the meds he's on could be aggravating instead of helping. My daughter coughed more when on meds than when off. She didn't do well on zyrtec, or singular, she didn't try Qvar. Try a postnasal drip cough drop. If it works then his cough is more than likely due to drainage, and if not you may need to try a new med like a nasal spray, and perhaps discontinue oral meds. My kids both do flonase nasal spray to help with allergies. It doesn't stop all allergens but it helps. It is so hard to know what to do. I always overreacted and had my children on every medicine possible. Now I regret it because looking back I think a lot of the medicines aggravated the situation more than they helped, but I over treated because I was afraid if I didn't my daughter would once again end up in a hospital, which she did for asthma quite often. Anyway, I hope I haven't made it worse for you. It can be so draining when our kids are sick. Good luck, and I hope your son gets to feeling better real soon. Hugs.
528995
Go have this seen to. It can be anything from nerve damage to inner ear infection to infection in the sinus. Any and all of these are worth having looked at. You do not want to get orbital cellulitis. There are so very many things that can cause this really. MS is another one of them I hate to say.  Get it seen to.
628059
Haha...yeah! I go to the doctors, and they say I have 20-20 vision...but I know for a fact, that when I look at things far away...they are somewhat blurry. My right eye is worse than my left. So I finally went to the doctor. And without straining I tried to guess the letters. I got one wrong and the guy was like..ooo! You need glasses! So I got a prescription with only the right eye...like, there are lenses, but only the right one helps me see better...if that makes sense. So yeah...I have glasses, but I don't use them.
123447
Hi -- I had the Lasik surgery about 2 years ago -- My eyes were really bad and was almost refused to have it done -- My astigmatism was really bad -- I had to have the most painfull proceedure done and the one that takes the longest recovery -- Instead of cutting around the lense and flipping it over and trimming it down/slitting it they had to trim down my whole eye from top down -- The recovery took 3 months vs. 1 hour -- I couldn't see to walk or do anything for a week and the pain was really bad (but they screwed up on my meds and sent me home with no numbing pain drops for my eyes for 2 days) -- For the 1st few weeks I just knew I had made the biggest mistake of my life -- That had always been one of my biggest fears, loosing my sight, because my eyes had been so bad my whole life and I had worn glasses since 7 yrs old -- But after the 3 months it was incredible -- The surgery I had done was the most painful and the longest recovery but it's the best on the eyes -- And prefered if the person will do it -- My eye sight is great now, better than most who have the surgery because of the different proceedure -- No glasses at all and I love it (LOVE IT!!) It was worth it all -- There are no dashes or spectras because of slashes in the eyes -- I can rub my eyes and not fear the lense turning up because of the surgery -- It's great -- I suggest that you talk in detail to an Eye Dr. that you can trust, go get the workup done on the surgery and see what the Eye surgens have to say (you still can walk out up to the point you agree to go back and have the surgery) even after all the tests they will let you know your chances and help you make an informed decision and let you decide if you still want it before they take you back that day to do it -- As far as it being worth it, YES, it's worth it -- My mom's had it done too -- My experience was worse than hers but my vision is 100 X's better than hers too and again, it's soooooooo worth it -- Hope this helps and please feel free to contact me if you have any more questions, I'll be happy to help --\n--- Angel
268879
I use peroxide and water mixture to rinse mine. I was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis years ago, now I just do all these odd things to prevent infection. Try 3 parts peroxide and 10 parts water solution. Spray in nostrils, as much as you can stand, and hold it for a few seconds. Then blow, its kinda refreshing. A couple times a week, if its real bad a couple times daily for a few days. Some people tell me the snort salt water, in the shower. I have to take Palgic-D just about daily, and wear cotton in my ears all year. Sometimes  at night my head feels cold so I put a toboggan on when I sleep, I have a nice looking one, I don't want to scare my husband! Although he sleeps with a CPAP mask, I bet we look very attractive!Ha Ha.. I'm not a weirdo but if I don't keep my head warm, I will have severe headaches that last for days. My ears are very susceptible to air to. I probably need tubes but I am a grown woman, I don't want tubes in my ears!!!! I manage to only go to the doc twice a year for refills and to have blood work. You know taking in some Vitamin C (real fruit is always better that vitamins), garlic, zinc everyday might help, they all fight of bacteria and infections. I once use Colloidal Silver (Mountain Medicine) but it's hard to come by. Hope some of my odd behavioral habits might help you too.
566561
Yes, you can go blind (not to be flip).  Intercranial Hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) is an elevation of pressure in the cranium and if high enough causes the optic nerves to be compressed and if compressed long enough can cause the nerve to atrophy and die ie go blind.  Listen if you are still getting bad headache you need treatment.  Either repeat spinal taps, meds like Diamox, or even a VP shunt will help.  If no insurance, go to your community health medical clinic and see if they can help you.  If all fails try the ER and explain your situation (try a line like if the ER doc tries to send you home but doc I have no money and no followup whos going to support me if i go blind....Pause...are you going to support me if i go blind)
360437
Most headaches around the eyes are one of two types - either migraine, or sinus headache; you may be able to determine which one it is likely to be by the following:  \n\nA migraine headache is virtually entirely on one side of the head; it is often accompanied by nausea, and sensitivity to light and/or sound.  Some people experience an "aura" shortly before the migraine begins; it can be visual, auditory, or even olfactory (sense of smell).  A migraine is often helped by being in a cool, dark room, and often disappears after a period of sleep.  The causes of migraines are not fully understood, but there are prescription medications that can help; ibuprofen helps some people, but usually it doesn't do much.  Some people also respond to medications or liquids containing caffeine.\n\nSinus headaches behave differently. Generally, the pain is on both sides of the face, and often worst near the cheekbones or around the eyes.  Light or sound generally have little if any effect on the headache.  Cool surroundings often make the sufferer feel worse; warm compresses or a heating pad often help.  Sinus headaches generally respond well to ibuprofen or Tylenol, particularly if combined with sudafed/pseudoephedrine (like Tylenol Sinus formula or a similar medication). \n\nIf either one of these sounds familiar, then check with your doctor - particularly if it is a migraine, as the only really effective migraine medications are prescription-only preparations.  Even if none of the above sounds familiar, it sounds to me like it's time to see your doctor.  Good luck!
71744
Do do do be careful!!!\nOne friend had it and did fine.\nAnother is having 1-2 surgeries a month on both eyes to correct what they did to her with Lasik--she walks around with a squint. I'm afraid she may loose her vision because of this.
674972
It's me again. Gordy in South Portland, Maine. That gooey stuff are your eyes, trying to heal themselves. You may possibly have a little irritation in your eyes, still. If you have a family doctor, he can take a peek and prescribe an eye rinse for you to keep your eyes clean while they are healing. Because this is such a pain in the neck to you, I would think a quick visit to your doctor, or even a walk-in clinic, would end a lot of useless worry about it. The best part about doctors and clinics is that almost all of the  time they have seen all this before and they will know exactly what to do for you. A fantastic eye rinse you can pick up at the pharmacy, over the counter, is Collyrium. It comes in a 4 ounce bottle with an eye cup on top to use. All it is is boric acid, sodium borate and water, preserved with benzalkonium chloride (0.01%). Don't let that fancy language scare you. It's great stuff, and after you slosh it around in your eyes for about thirty seconds, you can feel the itching go away and your eyes getting a decent chance to heal themselves. Your best bet, and the one that I'd opt for because it's the shortest route to home plate, is just see your doctor or clinic. They have stuff even better than the stuff I just recommended to you and it will also shorten the time you have to be bugged it this. I sometimes get allergic reactions to stuff after being out on my bicycle for long rides in the Maine countryside, and this eye wash Collyrium knocks it out pretty quick. Hope I haven't upset you with all this information. I will be holding a very strong thought which goes like this: let him get his eyes in good shape again before this Saturday. Good luck to you from  - G. in South Portland, Maine., U.S.A.
511069
It sounds like the problem could be sinus-your maxillary sinuses to be exact(below your eye).  Its uncommon but possible to only have 1 sided sinus pressure. Ive examined many patients with sinus congestion and they describe the same pressure,"face falling off when they lean forward" symptoms. Possibly an ENT-(ear nose and throat  dr)would be a good start-they deal with cranial/sinus disorders. At least a specialist like that instead of a primary might have more insight  :)
67927
It depends on the cause.  Many sinus infections are viral, in which case the only cure is a tincture of time.  Bacterial infections should respond to antibiotic therapy and fungal infections to antifungal therapy.  Symptomatic treatment includes pain relievers and possibly decongestants like Sudafed (provided you don't have a contraindication like high blood pressure).  Finally, some people have anatomical conditions that predispose them to recurrent problems and may require surgical correction.\n\nHere is an old (but free) article on sinusitis from the American Academy of Family Physicians:\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9835855&itool=iconfft&query_hl=19&itool=pubmed_DocSum
332035
I hope your daughter recovers soon.  \n\nThe outlook on recovery from eye injuries is good: one in five patients with a ruptured eye globe, a serious injury, may continue to have excellent vision and no apparent signs of perforation.\n\nPostoperative management includes preventing infection, suppressing inflammation and controlling pain. \n\nAlthough no data exist supporting the use of systemic antibiotics after an open globe injury, it's common practice to administer three days of IV antibiotics, followed by 11 days of oral antibiotics. Oral ciprofloxacin has been shown to cross an intact blood-vitreous barrier in appreciable concentrations.\n\nDaily follow-up should include determination of visual acuity, IOP and wound integrity and configuration of the retina (by ultrasound if it isn't visible). If needed, the patient should be referred to a vitreoretinal specialist. Close attention should be paid to corneal wounds, as they can leak when corneal edema decreases. \n\nFollow-up also should include counseling. It's often necessary to repeat conversations that occurred before the operation, as patients and families forget what was said in the hectic, stressful setting of preparation for emergency surgery. Advice from social workers and spiritual support, if appropriate, often are helpful. \n\nIf there is no hope of visual recovery in the injured eye, the initial postoperative phase is a good time to remind the patient and family about the risk of sympathetic ophthalmia. At this institution, it's often the practice to have the patient sign a statement documenting his or her understanding of the risk and choice not to proceed with enucleation, should that be the decision. Finally, polycarbonate glasses must be prescribed, and the patient must be urged to wear them at all times.
438009
Oh- you can damage your eyes, brain, sinuses, lungs and life all in one whack!! Bad idea- D
273921
My son had sinutitus, before they will even consider surgery you have to take 3 months of strong antibiotics, have a scope test run up your nose and we also had to see a eye doctor.\nIf the sinutitus is left and keeps getting worse it could and will affect his eye sight. Because under your eye you have a sinus pocket, best way i can explain it. They showed me on my sons x-ray how the socket of the eye was droping due to sinitus.  \nAnyway if this is the case the sooner you get him surgery the better. They go up through there nose to do this. Usually if they do ok it's a same day surgery and go home.\nThe doctor who done my sons was also a doc. out in the field when he was in service. He told us instead of buying salt water from drugstore. MIX 8 tablespoons of canning salt and 4 tablespoons of baking soda to a gallon of DISTILLED WATER. \nIn which you will have to squirt a cup up each nostril each day after surgery.\nHe was right it does do more good for sinus my son still uses this method. \nhope this helps you. If you need more info just ask
567601
Hi, I feel so so so sorry for you, personally if I was you I would sit down with your friends family and the 2 surgeons and just ask them what is the pros and cons.\n\nSurely they will be able to give you some advice on this, you can't go thru all of this without some help or advice.\n\nAlso, ask the neurosurgeon for his advice and just tell him that you don't want to do anything without his approval cos at the end of the day it is your life that will be wrecked not theirs and not your families.\n\nAlso, if your surgeon rings you up ask him to talk to you over the phone and ask him the questions and get him to answer them, if he can and just pour your heart out to him tell him you don't want him to do the 15hr operation.\n\nYour surgeon will do whats best for you he won't let you down over all of these years.\n\nIf he did operate what would happen would you get paralyasis permantely and the blindness will that be permant whatever way you go?\n\nTry asking for a shunt to be put in I know you mentioned it in the additional details but that could save you and does that stay in their for life?\n\nAnyway good luck for this upcoming operation but please really think about it and I hope you get all the answers you need for you to make your decision.\n\nTake your time in thinking about it, it is your life your talking about here not theirs, also I have one more point for you!!!!!!\n\nLets say you didn't have these operations would you go blind? \nAnd also if you had the operations what happens in later life?\nHave you got to have it done again or will the shunt keep the fluid away?\n\nPlease add additional information\n\nThanks and the very best of luck?