Orbital Apex Syndrome Causing Blindness Secondary to a Vertical Root Fracture of a Tooth.

The authors report a case of a 35-year-old man who presented with left maxillary toothache associated with left sided facial pain and a rapidly progressive loss of vision in the left eye. Clinical and radiological assessments revealed it to be an odontogenic orbital apex syndrome secondary to a vertical root fracture of a tooth. The infection was treated and controlled, postoperative follow-up showed no recurrent inflammation and the patient recovered well. However, the vision was lost permanently. Odontogenic orbital apex syndrome is a rare, aggressive disease. Once the infection spreads, it progresses rapidly, becoming a dangerous condition. To achieve better prognosis and improve survival rates, dental practitioners and oral surgeons should be aware of this distinct presentation and should have a high index of suspicion for the complication of tooth-related problems however minor they may seem.