Ocular neuromyotonia

Ocular neuromyotonia is a rare, albeit treatable, ocular motor disorder, characterised by recurrent brief episodes of diplopia due to tonic extraocular muscle contraction. Ephaptic transmission in a chronically damaged ocular motor nerve is the possible underlying mechanism. It usually improves with...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Soares-Dos-Reis, R (author)
Other Authors: Martins, AI (author), Brás, A (author), Matos, A (author), Bento, C (author), Lemos, J (author)
Format: article
Language:eng
Published: 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10400.4/2148
Country:Portugal
Oai:oai:rihuc.huc.min-saude.pt:10400.4/2148
Description
Summary:Ocular neuromyotonia is a rare, albeit treatable, ocular motor disorder, characterised by recurrent brief episodes of diplopia due to tonic extraocular muscle contraction. Ephaptic transmission in a chronically damaged ocular motor nerve is the possible underlying mechanism. It usually improves with carbamazepine. A 53-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of recurrent episodes of binocular vertical diplopia (up to 40/day), either spontaneously or after sustained downward gaze. Between episodes she had a mild left fourth nerve palsy. Sustained downward gaze consistently triggered downward left eye tonic deviation, lasting around 1 min. MR scan of the brain was normal. She improved on starting carbamazepine but developed a rash that necessitated stopping the drug. Switching to lacosamide controlled her symptoms.