Ophthalmoparesis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ophthalmoparesis
Classification & external resources
ICD-10 H49.3-H49.4
ICD-9 367.52, 376.22, 378.55, 378.56, 378.72, 378.86, 378.9

Ophthalmoparesis is a physical finding in certain neurologic illnesses. It refers to paralysis of the extraocular muscles which are responsible for eye movements. It can refer to complete paralysis of the eyes, in which case it is synonymous with ophthalmoplegia. More usually, it refers to a partial paralysis, in contrast to the complete paralysis denoted by ophthalmoplegia.

Ophthalmoparesis can involve any or all of the extraocular muscles, which include the superior recti, inferior recti, medial recti, lateral recti, inferior oblique and superior oblique muscles. It can also be classified by the directions of affected movements, e.g. "vertical ophthalmoparesis".

Ophthalmoparesis can result from disorders of various parts of the eye and nervous system:

Thiamine deficiency can cause ophthalmoparesis in susceptible persons; this is part of the syndrome called Wernicke encephalopathy. The causal pathway by which this occurs is unknown. Intoxication with certain substances, such as phenytoin, can also cause ophthalmoparesis.

Treatment and prognosis depend on the underlying condition.

In other languages