Acquired abducens nerve palsy secondary to tuberculosis.

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Acquired abducens nerve palsy secondary to tuberculosis. Optometry. 2009 Oct;80(10):567-71 Authors: Smith DE, Blasi A BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is a serious, and unfortunately common, infectious disease caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The incidence, mortality, and physical/ophthalmologic effects are well documented. Although most common ophthalmologic findings include optic neuropathy and uveitis, cranial nerve palsies may also present secondary to intracranial inflammation. CASE REPORT: A 17-year-old Somalian girl was referred to the eye clinic with the chief concern of intermittent diplopia and headaches. Although monocular visual acuity was excellent, ocular positioning tests confirmed a subtle abduction deficit of the right eye. Medical history was remarkable for active tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis is a mediating factor for abducens nerve palsy in children. Understanding the relationship between the disease process and ocular ramifications is imperative for competent management. PMID: 19801340 [PubMed - in process]

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