[Sight-threatening orbital emphysema after nose blowing: case report]

Abstract

Orbital emphysema is the abnormal presence of air in the orbit. Occurrence in the absence of orbital fracture is rare. We report a case of a 40-year-old female presenting unilateral orbital emphysema after vigorous nose blowing. She developed sudden visual loss as a result of elevated intraocular pressure and urgent treatment was required. She underwent an orbital decompression, performed using a 24-gauge needle puncture adjacent to the supraorbital notch. After treatment, she reported considerable decrease of symptoms.