Optic nerve

Before the optic nerve enters the orbit, it runs through a bony canal, the optic nerve canal (canalis opticus). The wall of this canal is made of the bones of the sphenoidal sinus. It is part of the nasal sinuses.

Decompression surgery (decompression of the nervus opticus)


After accidents with head injuries and subsequent blindness, decompression surgery (opticus decompression) of the optic nerve can make sense.

Patients with advanced vision loss caused by the optic nerve being slowly pinched by a slow-growing tumor also very often profit from decompressing the nervus opticus.

During the surgery, the bony border of the optic nerve canal, which is a part of the sphenoidal sinus bone, is removed. Therefore this is also referred to as advanced nasal sinus surgery. As a rule, incisions from the outside are also not necessary here because surgery is possible through the nose using a surgical microscope and/or endoscope.