see: [Rosen - Diplopia](x-devonthink-item://F5F468BD-60B6-4EB5-9A6C-6531F75BF3A7), [Dunn Abnormal eye movements](x-devonthink-item://75745D60-FB73-4380-A380-943C6CEDDAF3), [Rosen Ophthalmology](x-devonthink-item://43FF5B61-AC39-42AF-AADD-6BB6C2B8800B)
see also: [[Visual fields]], [[Cranial nerve palsies]], [[pupil exam]], [[anisocoria]], [[pupil exam#pupil deviation|pupil deviation]]
#opthal
> [!key points]
> - in CN III palsy, consider compressive lesion (eg aneurysm), especially if dilated pupil
> - ==orbital / musclar causes of diplopia (eg thyroid eye disease, myasthenia gravis) can be confused with cranial nerve palsies==
**Ophthalmoplegia** = the paralysis or weakness of the eye muscles
![[Pasted image 20240308152354.png|muscle dysfunction, sx, and examination findings for each oculomotor cranial nerve palsy]]
![[Pasted image 20240308152535.png|cardinal movements of the eyes]]
![[Pasted image 20240308153833.png| diplopia algorithm]]
![[Pasted image 20240308153955.png| management algorithm]]
# Causes of diplopia
![[Pasted image 20240922191757.png]]
**binocular diplopia**
- ocular nerve palsies
- *III* - diagonal diplopia on upward lateral gaze
- *IV* - vertical diplopia on downward medial gaze
- *VI* - horizontal diplopia on lateral gaze
- impairment of normal globe movement
- ocular muscle entrapment (eg blow out fracutre of orbital floor with inferior rectus entrapment)
- thyroid eye disease (inferior rectus)
- masses
- swelling
- gaze palsies
- nuclear -- oculomotor reflex reduced
- *Internuclear ophthalmoplegia* — white matter connecting nuclei, seen in [[Multiple Sclerosis]] and vertebrobasilar (cerebellar and brain stem / [[Stroke#posterior circulation]]) stroke
- supranuclear palsy (eg progressive supranuclear palsy a/w PKD, FTD, alzheimers) -- oculomotor reflex intact
- peripheral [[vertigo]] (due to ocular skew)
- neuromuscular diseases eg [[myasthena gravis]]
- occipital cortical disease -- usually homonymous hemianopia also present
**monocular diplopia** (present when only one eye open)
- uncommon
- usually due to distortions of cornea or lens
- *corrects with pin hole testing*
- ==retina== issues DO NOT correct with pin hole testing
## CN III palsy
see also [[Cranial nerve palsies#CN III palsy|Cranial nerve III palsy]]
causes:
- trauma (herniation of temoral lobe through tentoral opening)
- ischaemic (*especially diabetes*)
- vascular - *PCA aneurysm*
- [[myasthena gravis]]
## diplopia causes table
#tables
| Cause | Issues | Distinguishing features |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| basilar artery thrombosis | - brainstem ischaemia <br>- ↑ mortality | [[vertigo]], dysarthria, CN involvement, [[Stroke]] risk factors |
| basilar meningitis | | headache, meningism, fever |
| aneurysm | enlarging aneurysm directly compress cranial nerve | CN III palsy with pupillary involvement |
| [[carotid and vertebral artery dissection\|vertebral artery dissection]] | dissection → vertebrobasilar ischaemia | - neck pain, vertigo |
| [[myasthena gravis]] | Abs agains ACh nicotinic receptors | fluctuating muscle weakness, ptosis, diplopia<br>worsen with activity; improve w/ rest |
| [[Alcohol-related disease\|Wernicke encephalopathy]] | thiamine-dependent metabolic failure | nystagmus, ataxia, ALOC, ophthalmoplegia<br>alcoholism and nutritional deficiencies |
| orbital apex syndrome, [[Cerebral venous thrombosis\|cavernous sinus]] process | inflammation or infection in the orbital apex or cavernous sinus → oculomotor cranial nerve deficit | CN III, IV, or VI palsy, retro-orbital pain, conjunctival injection, periorbital or facial numbness |
| brainstem tumor | | skew deviation - vertical diplopia, internuclear ophthalmoplegia |
| Miller-Fisher syndrome ([[Guillain-Barré syndrome\|GBS]]) | Abs to cranial nerve ganglioside | ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, areflexia |
| [[Multiple Sclerosis]] | demyelinating lesions | internuclear ophthalmoplegia |
| thyroid myopathy ([[thyrotoxicosis\|Graves disease]]) | autoimmune myopathy | proptosis, restriction of elevation and abduction of eye, other signs of graves disease |
| ophthalmoplegic [[Headache#migraine\|Migraine]] | | ipsilateral headache, CN III palsy |