Duane Syndrome

Duane syndrome affects the ability of the eye to move from side to side. Symptoms include restricted movement of eye outward and/or inward and the eyeball may be pulled back into the socket. In addition, the opening of the eye may be narrow. Some people with Duane syndrome develop "lazy eye" (amblyopia), a condition that may cause vision loss in the affected eye. Duane syndrome usually only occurs in one eye, and is not associated with other signs or symptoms. There are three types of Duane syndrome, which vary by which eye movements are most severely restricted. The exact cause of Duane syndrome is unknown. About 10% of cases are inherited in families in an autosomal dominant pattern. Diagnosis of Duane syndrome is based on the symptoms, an eye exam, and imaging studies. Treatment is focused on managing the symptoms, and includes corrective eye glasses and contact lens, and sometimes surgery.