ABSTRACT

Purpose:

Craniopharyngioma is a slowly progressive tumour derived from the remnants of Rathke's pouch and causes various ophthalmic symptoms (mainly visual field defects). In this study, it was aimed to present the ophthalmic findings of four patients with craniopharygioma and also to emphasize the importance of ophthalmic examination in the diagnosis.

Method:

Four cases presented with various visual problems had a detailed ophthalmic examination. Computerized tomography (CT) was ordered with the suspicion of intracranial mass. The CT scans revealed intracranial mass in all cases and the cases were consulted by brain surgery.

Results:

Ages of the patients were 7, 22, 31, and 35. Common complaints were decreased or blurred vision. None of the patients was complaining from visual field defects. Decreased vision was detected in both eyes of two patients and one eye of one patient. One of the eyes of two patients had afferent pupillary defect and the optic disc pallor. Confrontation and the computerized visual field tests revealed bitemporal hemianopsia in three patients. CT scans of all patients revealed a supracellar intracranial mass. At the brain surgery consultations of the patients, magnetic resonance images were obtained and craniopharyngioma was diagnosed.

Conclusion:

Patients with craniopharyngioma can go to the ophthalmologists before they notice their visual field defects. These defects can be detected with a simple confrontation test. The ophthalmic examination is very important in the early diagnosis of craniopharyngiomas.