ocular torticollis

Last reviewed 01/2018

Ocular torticollis is the abnormal head posture sometimes adopted by an individual with cranial nerve IV palsy in an attempt to compensate for the paralysis of their superior oblique muscle. In a fourth nerve palsy the patient may have his head tilted away from the lesion, i.e. to the opposite shoulder. This position allows the patient to obtain binocular vision.