Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Ophthalmoplegia

Definition

Ophthalmoplegia is a paralysis or weakness of one or more of the muscles that control eye movement. The condition can be caused by any of several neurologic disorders. It may be myopathic, meaning that the muscles controlling eye movement are directly involved, or neurogenic, meaning that the nerve pathways controlling eye muscles are affected. Diseases associated with ophthalmoplegia are ocular myopathy, which affects muscles, and internuclear ophthalmoplegia, a disorder caused by multiple sclerosis, a disease which affects nerves.

Description

Because the eyes do not move together in ophthalmoplegia, patients may complain of double vision. Double vision is especially troublesome if the ophthalmoplegia comes on suddenly or affects each eye differently. Because...