Definition

1. Noun:
   • Paralysis of the eye muscles: "Ophthalmoplegia" is a medical term for the paralysis or weakness of one or more of the muscles that control eye movement. This condition affects the motor nerves of the eye.

Usage

• "Ophthalmoplegia" is a specialized term used primarily in medical and clinical contexts. It describes a specific neurological or muscular deficit affecting ocular motility. It is often modified to specify the extent (e.g., total, partial) or the muscles/nerves involved.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient was diagnosed with internuclear ophthalmoplegia following the neurological exam.
  • Progressive external ophthalmoplegia is a hallmark of certain mitochondrial disorders.
  • The ophthalmoplegia resulted in double vision and an inability to move the eye outward.

Advanced Usage

• "Internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO)": A specific type caused by a lesion in the brainstem, affecting the coordination of horizontal eye movements.
  • MRI confirmed the lesion causing the internuclear ophthalmoplegia.
• "Progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO)": A slowly worsening condition that typically involves the muscles controlling the eyelids and eye movements.
  • Her progressive external ophthalmoplegia began with mild ptosis (drooping eyelids).

Variants and Related Words

• Ophthalmoplegic (adj): Relating to or affected by ophthalmoplegia.
  • The patient exhibited an ophthalmoplegic migraine.
• Ophthalmoparesis (n): A related term meaning partial weakness, rather than complete paralysis, of the eye muscles.

Synonyms

• Eye muscle paralysis: A more descriptive, non-technical synonym.
• Extraocular muscle palsy: A closely related clinical term.

Notes on Meaning

• The term is strictly medical and refers to the loss of motor function. It does not refer to visual acuity problems (like blindness) or sensory issues of the eye. The core concept is the inability to move the eye normally due to nerve or muscle impairment.

Noun

1. paralysis of the motor nerves of the eye