clinical features

Last reviewed 01/2018

The clinical features of a fourth cranial nerve palsy include:

  • diplopia - particularly marked in reading
  • abnormal head posture - head tilted towards the normal side, face rotated towards the normal side, and the chin is depressed. The affected eye is higher than its fellow.
  • positive head tilt test - affected eye moves higher when the head is tilted towards the affected side
  • early secondary contracture of the inferior oblique may occur resulting in greater hypertropia in upward gaze than in downward gaze