It is a rare congenital syndrome of strabismus, characterized by the restriction of eye movements, retraction of the eye and stenosis of the palpebral fissure

It is a rare congenital syndrome of strabismus, characterized by the restriction of eye movements, retraction of the eye and stenosis of the palpebral fissure when the affected eye is facing inwards (nasally).

The lateral rectus oculomotor muscle (which is responsible for the outward movement of the eye) is innervated normally by the sixth cranial nerve (abductor). In Duane syndrome, the core of the abductor in the brainstem is absent and the lateral rectus acquires a "paradoxical neurosis" from areas of the third cranial nerve (oculomotor).

It is distinguished into three types, depending on the direction of motion that is affected. In the most common form of the syndrome, the affected eye does not move outwards (abduction). In its second form, the restriction is in the inward movement (adduction), while in the third and rarer form, the restriction applies to both horizontal movements.

The Duane syndrome can confuse parents, about which eye is abnormal. If, for example, the left eye has strabismus and the child looks to his left, the right eye will move towards the nose, but the left eye will continue looking straight, giving the impression that it is the right eye rotating inwards with strabismus.

Generally, the child's eyes are aligned in the capital eye position and do not require any treatment. Surgical correction is only needed when the alignment of the eyes is achieved with some lateral eye position and the child is forced to turn his head to look ahead, and finally, in cases of obvious strabismus in the primary eye position.