Duane syndrome

Duane syndrome is a congenital eye-movement disorder marked by limited horizontal movement and, during inward gaze, narrowing of the eyelid opening or retraction of the eye.

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Abducens nerve: The sixth cranial nerve, which normally activates the lateral rectus muscle to move the eye outward. Impaired outward movement in Duane syndrome often reflects absent or abnormal abducens nerve input.
Extraocular muscles: The muscles outside the eyeball that move the eyes in coordinated directions. Duane syndrome alters the coordinated action of these muscles.
Ocular motility examination: A clinical assessment of eye alignment and movement in different directions of gaze. Movement patterns and retraction during adduction help distinguish Duane syndrome from other motility disorders.
Type I Duane retraction syndrome: A Duane syndrome subtype characterized chiefly by limited outward movement, with relatively preserved inward movement. It is the most common movement pattern and illustrates the syndrome's variable horizontal limitation.
Oculomotor nerve: The third cranial nerve, which controls most eye muscles, including the medial rectus. Aberrant oculomotor nerve fibers can activate muscles that retract the eye during adduction.
Abduction (eye): Movement of an eye outward, away from the nose. Limited abduction is a common movement restriction in Duane syndrome.
Binocular vision: The coordinated use of both eyes to produce a single visual percept and depth information. Assessing binocular vision shows whether misalignment disrupts useful two-eyed vision.
Type II Duane retraction syndrome: A Duane syndrome subtype characterized chiefly by limited inward movement, with relatively preserved outward movement. Its inward-movement restriction contrasts with the more common type I pattern.
Lateral rectus muscle: The extraocular muscle that turns an eye outward, away from the nose. Its abnormal innervation contributes to restricted abduction in many cases.
Adduction (eye): Movement of an eye inward, toward the nose. Adduction can trigger the characteristic retraction and narrowing of the eyelid opening.