Short‐ and long‐term vertical diplopia secondary to blunt trauma

Abstract

This report describes the short‐ and long‐term ocular signs and symptoms of a patient with an orbital blow‐out fracture and discusses the differential diagnosis of vertical diplopia. A blow‐out fracture occurs when blunt trauma is applied either directly to the eyeball itself or the orbital rim and usually results in a fracture of the orbital floor with consequential excavation and entrapment of orbital contents in the fracture. Vertical diplopia is a common presenting symptom for a blow‐out fracture of the orbit but careful considerations should be given to other potential conditions leading to such diplopia. A patient is presented who suffered a blow‐out fracture almost a decade earlier, secondary to blunt trauma to the globe. The clinical findings are provided immediately after the trauma, post‐surgery and during a recent ocular examination.

Key words:

• cranial nerve injuries
• diplopia
• eye injuries
• orbital fracture