Cranial mononeuropathy III - diabetic type

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Diabetic third nerve palsy; Pupil-sparing third cranial nerve palsy


Treatment

There is no specific treatment to correct the nerve injury.

Treatments may include:

  • Close control of blood sugar levels
  • Eye patch or glasses with prisms to reduce double vision
  • Pain medications
  • Surgery to correct eyelid drooping or eyes that are not aligned

Some people may recover without treatment.


Support Groups


Expectations (prognosis)

Many patients get better over 3 - 6 months, although some have permanent eye muscle weakness.


Complications
  • Permanent eyelid drooping
  • Permanent vision changes

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have double vision and it doesn't go away in a few minutes, especially if you also have eyelid drooping.



Review Date: 06/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)