Postoperative Visual Loss After Spine Surgery

Postoperative visual loss subsequent spine surgery is a rare but devastating complication with an estimated rate varying between 0.05% and 1.0%. However ischemic optic neuropathy, central artery thrombosis, and cortical blindness have been mentioned as recognized causes of postoperative visual loss, the exact etiologies are still unclear. The patient was a 58-year-old diabetic woman referred to our department with sudden visual loss, ophthalmoplegia, periorbital edema, and ptosis eyelid in her left eye 1 day after surgery for spinal spondylolisthesis. She mentioned the past medical history of rhinosinusitis and polyps. She did not smoke or drink alcohol.