Today's Edition
A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
A 30-year-old expatriate, who suddenly started losing vision in both of his eyes, was operated upon to remove a rare cyst in the brain at a Dubai hospital.
The cyst, which is technically termed an “arachnoid cyst”, was the cause of his vision loss, after it created pressure on areas of the brain responsible for vision. Doctors said that without urgent surgery, the patient would have faced the risk of permanent blindness.
The patient, Emad Arif Khan, a Pakistani expatriate working as a real estate consultant and residing in Sharjah, had been healthy until he began experiencing a combination of symptoms, including pain while moving his eyes, persistent frontal headaches and progressively worsening blurred vision. His condition deteriorated to the point where routine activities such as reading, writing and working became difficult. After initial treatment elsewhere did not help, he sought further medical attention at Aster Hospital Mankhool, Bur Dubai, where doctors led by Dr Parth Joshi, Specialist Ophthalmologist, identified signs that pointed to a neurological cause rather than a problem limited to the eyes.
An urgent brain scan revealed a large arachnoid cyst causing raised pressure inside the skull, compressing the visual pathways of the brain. A smaller cyst was also detected near the cerebellum. While arachnoid cysts are not considered rare in general — detected in around 1.4% of people undergoing brain MRI scans — more than 90% of them cause no symptoms and never require treatment. Cases in which such cysts suddenly affect vision in adults are described by doctors as extremely rare, with only about 3–4% of patients ever needing surgery.
Given the imminent risk of permanent vision loss, the neurosurgery team led by Dr Prakash Nair, Consultant Neurosurgeon, proceeded with urgent surgery to open and drain the cyst, relieving the pressure on the brain. A biopsy later confirmed that the cyst was benign. Following the procedure, the patient experienced temporary speech difficulty, which doctors said can occur due to sudden changes in brain pressure, but he did not suffer any weakness, seizures or lasting neurological problems. Follow-up scans showed that the brain had re-expanded well and the cyst had significantly reduced.
By the time of discharge, the patient’s headaches had resolved and his eyesight had improved steadily. Subsequent follow-up confirmed normal vision and no remaining swelling of the optic nerves.
Explaining the condition to Aletihad, Dr Nair said arachnoid cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop between the brain and the thin protective layers covering it. “In most people, these cysts remain asymptomatic throughout life and are discovered incidentally,” he explained. “The term ‘asymptomatic’ simply means that the cyst is not causing any noticeable problems. However, in rare situations, if a cyst grows or starts compressing vital areas of the brain, it can become dangerous.”
Dr Nair noted that vision-related symptoms occur when pressure builds up inside the skull and affects the optic nerves or visual centres of the brain. “In adults, sudden visual loss due to an arachnoid cyst is exceptionally uncommon. That is why prompt diagnosis and emergency intervention were critical in this case,” he said, adding that such operations form only a very small part of neurosurgical practice.
Dr Nair said vision problems arising from brain-related causes are far less common than eye-related conditions but should always be considered when vision loss is sudden or accompanied by headaches or neurological symptoms. He added that MRI scans are not required for every vision complaint but become essential when doctors suspect raised pressure in the brain.
His advice to the public was clear: “Any sudden change in vision, especially if it affects both eyes or is associated with severe headache, vomiting or neurological symptoms, should be treated as an emergency. Early evaluation can prevent permanent damage.”
Doctors said the case underlined the importance of timely diagnosis, careful interpretation of symptoms and swift surgical intervention in rare but life-altering neurological emergencies.
