Retention cyst is an epithelium-lined cyst containing serous or mucinous fluid. It develops due to ductal blockage of a seromucinous gland in the mucosa. This kind of cyst is common in the maxillary sinuses and is most often asymptomatic. It rarely occurs in the ethmoid sinuses. In a 46-year-old woman, a retention cyst of the right ethmoid sinus developed and remained dormant for 15 years. It ruptured abruptly on rubbing and resulted in exophthalmos with eyelid edema in a day. The patient underwent an external ethmoidectomy for extirpation the cyst. She did well after the operation and had complete resolution of nasal discharge in 2 weeks. No evidence of cyst recurrence was noted in the 12 months of follow-up.