When the sixth cranial nerve, (also known as the abducens nerve) is injured or malfunctions, it becomes difficult to move the eyes in certain directions. The lateral rectus muscle of the eye receives signals from the sixth cranial nerve and enables the eye to move in a lateral direction. Each lateral rectus muscle in each eye is supplied by a separate cranial nerve.
The abducens nerve has a long course travelling from the brain, where it originates, to the lateral rectus muscle in the eye, where it terminates. If it sustains any damage at any point in this course it will result in a sixth nerve palsy, causing dysfunction of the lateral rectus muscle. This may result in the going inwards, towards the nose, due to the inaction of the lateral rectus muscle.
Double vision is the most common symptom of sixth nerve palsy. However, it may not always be present. Another symptom is squint, when the eyes are misaligned.
Isolated sixth nerve palsy can occasionally occur without any additional symptoms. At times it can develop from birth. In adults, sixth nerve palsy can be caused by stroke, trauma, viral disease, brain tumors, infection, migraine, and increase pressure inside the brain. Moreover, depending on the etiology, sixth nerve palsy can impair one or both eyes. Hence, it is imperative that sixth nerve palsy be timely evaluated to rule out any sinister disease.
At The Eye Center- Dr. Mahnaz Naveed Shah & Associates our team of eight ophthalmology subspecialists/ eye specialists, eye surgeons who are considered amongst the very best eye specialists in Karachi and in Pakistan, have the diagnostic and treatment capabilities to treat from the simplest to the most complex patients. We work hard to provide our patients with the best possible medical and surgical eye care, in a state of the art purpose built eye care facility. We offer the entire array of medical, laser and surgical treatments to help provide patients the best possible care in the most efficient, safe and ethical manner.
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