Sixth Nerve Palsy

The Abducens nerve innovates the Lateral Rectus Extraocular muscle. This abducts the eye (moves out).

If the sixth cranial nerve is damaged, it would result in a sixth nerve palsy.

The eye would sit inwards as it cannot abduct so may present as an esotropia.

Some causes of a 6th Nerve Palsy:

• Microvascular
• High intracranial pressure
• Stroke
• Trauma
• Inflammation or infection
• Brain tumour.

‘See also’ below the eye movement recordings made by an Orthoptist of a right sixth nerve palsy, and photos of a bilateral sixth nerve palsy in five positions of gaze.