This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages without signing in

Immediate features of paralysis

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The acute features of oculomotor nerve palsy may include:

  • divergent strabismus:
    • the paralysed eye is rotated outwards and downwards when the normal eye fixates - due to intact actions of lateral rectus and superior oblique muscles
    • concurrent trochlear nerve palsy is indicated by absence of intorsion on attempted down-gaze

  • only lateral movement is possible

  • pupil may be fixed and dilated, and accommodation lost:
    • however the pupil is spared in 75% of cases due to diabetes since the inner pupillary fibres are more affected than the outer ones

  • ptosis of the upper eyelid - may cover the pupil due to loss of action of levator palpebrae superioris

  • ipsilateral oculomotor nerve palsy may feature as part of Benedikt or Weber syndromes

  • there may be a mild proptosis arising from loss of tone of three of the four recti muscles

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.