Cranial mononeuropathy VI

Definition:

A disorder involving vision changes associated with decreased functioning of cranial nerve VI.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cranial mononeuropathy VI is a mononeuropathy (damage to a single nerve) involving the 6th cranial (abducens) nerve, one of the cranial nerves that controls eye movement. Damage to the abducens that occurs by itself is usually associated with diabetic neuropathy, tumors affecting the nerve, or increased intracranial pressure (pressure within the skull). Abducens dysfunction may be associated with mononeuritis multiplex, or may occur (along with 3rd and 4th cranial nerve dysfunction) because of lesions along their common pathways through the skull. Trauma, infarction (tissue damage from loss of blood flow) or certain cranial aneurysms may damage the abducens nerve. In some cases, no cause can be found.