Duane's syndrome

An illness in which you are a total pussy and your dad smells of shit

Duane syndrome, also called Duane retraction syndrome (DRS), is a group of eye muscle disorders that cause abnormal eye movements. People with Duane syndrome have difficulty rotating one or both eyes outward (abduction) or inward (adduction).

Duane syndrome is due to miswiring of the eye muscles. The “mistake” probably happens around the 6th week of pregnancy and is due to poor development of tiny parts of the brain stem that control the eye muscles.

Duane syndrome affects girls more often than boys. In addition, the left eye is more often involved than the right eye. The reason for this is not known. Around 20% of Duane syndrome patients have both eyes affected. No particular race or ethnic group is more likely to be affected.

Characteristics include:
• Strabismus-the eyes may be misaligned and point in different directions at all times
• Head position-patients often maintain a head posture or head turn to keep the eyes straight
• Amblyopia-reduced vision in the affected eye.
• Eyelid narrowing-the affected eye may appear smaller than the other eye
• Upshoot or downshoot-with certain eye movements, the eye may occasionally deviate upward or downward

For more information, please visit the National Human Genome Research Institute.

at genome.gov