MedGen

Congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles (CFEOM) is a disorder of the nervous system that affects use of the muscles that surround the eyes (extraocular muscles). These muscles control eye movement and the direction of the eyes (for example, looking straight ahead). CFEOM impairs control of these muscles. As a result, affected individuals are unable to move their eyes normally. Most people with this condition have difficulty looking upward, and their side-to-side eye movement may also be limited. The eyes may look in different directions (strabismus). Instead of moving their eyes, affected individuals may need to turn their head to track moving objects. Additionally, most people with CFEOM have droopy eyelids (ptosis), which further limits their vision.

Researchers have identified several forms of CFEOM, designated CFEOM1, CFEOM2, CFEOM3, and Tukel syndrome (sometimes called CFEOM4). The specific problems with eye movement vary among the types, and some types are associated with additional signs and symptoms. People with CFEOM1 and CFEOM2 have only the eye problems described above. In CFEOM1, the eyes typically point downward, whereas in CFEOM2, the eyes usually turn outward.

CFEOM3 can include additional neurological problems, such as intellectual disability; difficulty with social skills; a smaller-than-normal head size (microcephaly); muscle weakness in the face; nonfunctioning vocal cords; and a set of symptoms called Kallmann syndrome, which features delayed or absent puberty and an impaired sense of smell. Some affected individuals develop pain, weakness, or a decreased ability to feel sensations in the limbs (peripheral neuropathy), which can begin in childhood or adulthood.

Brain abnormalities can also occur in people with CFEOM3. Some have abnormal development of the white matter, which is brain tissue containing nerve cell fibers (axons) that transmit nerve impulses. A particular form of CFEOM3, known as CFEOM3 with polymicrogyria, is characterized by abnormal development of the brain, in which the folds and ridges on the surface of the brain are smaller and more numerous than usual.

Tukel syndrome is characterized by missing fingers (oligodactyly) and other hand abnormalities in addition to problems with eye movement. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

Congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles (CFEOM) encompasses several different inherited strabismus syndromes characterized by congenital restrictive ophthalmoplegia affecting extraocular muscles innervated by the oculomotor and/or trochlear nerves. Classic CFEOM is characterized by bilateral blepharoptosis and ophthalmoplegia with the eyes fixed in an infraducted position about 20 to 30 degrees below the horizontal midline. Involvement of the horizontal extraocular muscles is variable. If all affected members of a family have the classic phenotype with bilateral involvement, the disorder is referred to as 'CFEOM1' (Engle et al., 1997; Heidary et al., 2008). CFEOM2 (602078), an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutation in the ARIX gene (PHOX2A; 602753) on chromosome 11q13, is characterized by bilateral ptosis with eyes fixed in an exotropic position. The CFEOM3 phenotype shows more variable clinical features: affected individuals may have unilateral eye involvement, may be able raise their eyes above midline, or may not have blepharoptosis. CFEOM3 is diagnosed in a family if even 1 member does not have classic findings of the disorder. CFEOM3 is a genetically heterogeneous disorder; CFEOM3A with or without extraocular involvement (600638) is caused by mutation in the TUBB3 gene (602661) on chromosome 16q24; CFEOM3B is caused by mutation in the KIF21A gene (608283) on chromosome 12q12; and CFEOM3C (609384) maps to chromosome 13q. CFEOM4 (609428), also known as Tukel syndrome, maps to chromosome 21q. CFEOM5 (616219) is caused by mutation in the COL25A1 gene (610004) on chromosome 4q25. See also NOMENCLATURE. [from OMIM]

A form of strabismus with one or both eyes deviated outward. [from HPO]

Duane syndrome is a strabismus condition clinically characterized by congenital non-progressive limited horizontal eye movement accompanied by globe retraction which results in narrowing of the palpebral fissure. The lateral movement anomaly results from failure of the abducens nucleus and nerve (cranial nerve VI) to fully innervate the lateral rectus muscle; globe retraction occurs as a result of abnormal innervation of the lateral rectus muscle by the oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III). At birth, affected infants have restricted ability to move the affected eye(s) outward (abduction) and/or inward (adduction), though the limitations may not be recognized in early infancy. In addition, the globe retracts into the orbit with attempted adduction, accompanied by narrowing of the palpebral fissure. Many individuals with Duane syndrome have strabismus in primary gaze but can use a compensatory head turn to align the eyes, and thus can preserve binocular vision and avoid diplopia. Individuals with Duane syndrome who lack binocular vision are at risk for amblyopia. The majority of affected individuals with Duane syndrome have isolated Duane syndrome (i.e., they do not have other detected congenital anomalies). Other individuals with Duane syndrome fall into well-defined syndromic diagnoses. However, many individuals with Duane syndrome have non-ocular findings that do not fit a known syndrome; these individuals are included as part of the discussion of nonsyndromic Duane syndrome. [from GeneReviews]

The upper eyelid margin is positioned 3 mm or more lower than usual and covers the superior portion of the iris (objective); or, the upper lid margin obscures at least part of the pupil (subjective). [from HPO]

Incomplete or underdevelopment of a tissue or organ. [from NCI]

Bursts of large-amplitude multidirectional saccades without intersaccadic interval [from HPO]

Reduced ability to control the movement of the eye associated with damage to the third cranial nerve (the oculomotor nerve). [from HPO]

Disorders that feature impairment of eye movements as a primary manifestation of disease. These conditions may be divided into infranuclear, nuclear, and supranuclear disorders. Diseases of the eye muscles or oculomotor cranial nerves (III, IV, and VI) are considered infranuclear. Nuclear disorders are caused by disease of the oculomotor, trochlear, or abducens nuclei in the BRAIN STEM. Supranuclear disorders are produced by dysfunction of higher order sensory and motor systems that control eye movements, including neural networks in the CEREBRAL CORTEX; BASAL GANGLIA; CEREBELLUM; and BRAIN STEM. Ocular torticollis refers to a head tilt that is caused by an ocular misalignment. Opsoclonus refers to rapid, conjugate oscillations of the eyes in multiple directions, which may occur as a parainfectious or paraneoplastic condition (e.g., OPSOCLONUS-MYOCLONUS SYNDROME). (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p240) [from MeSH]

A neoplastic or non-neoplastic disorder that affects one of the cranial nerves. [from NCI]

Duane syndrome is a strabismus condition clinically characterized by congenital non-progressive limited horizontal eye movement accompanied by globe retraction which results in narrowing of the palpebral fissure. The lateral movement anomaly results from failure of the abducens nucleus and nerve (cranial nerve VI) to fully innervate the lateral rectus muscle; globe retraction occurs as a result of abnormal innervation of the lateral rectus muscle by the oculomotor nerve (cranial nerve III). At birth, affected infants have restricted ability to move the affected eye(s) outward (abduction) and/or inward (adduction), though the limitations may not be recognized in early infancy. In addition, the globe retracts into the orbit with attempted adduction, accompanied by narrowing of the palpebral fissure. Many individuals with Duane syndrome have strabismus in primary gaze but can use a compensatory head turn to align the eyes, and thus can preserve binocular vision and avoid diplopia. Individuals with Duane syndrome who lack binocular vision are at risk for amblyopia. The majority of affected individuals with Duane syndrome have isolated Duane syndrome (i.e., they do not have other detected congenital anomalies). Other individuals with Duane syndrome fall into well-defined syndromic diagnoses. However, many individuals with Duane syndrome have non-ocular findings that do not fit a known syndrome; these individuals are included as part of the discussion of nonsyndromic Duane syndrome. [from GeneReviews]

A form of strabismus with one or both eyes deviated outward to a milder degree than with exotropia. [from HPO]

Congenital myopathy-20 (CMYP20) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder that shows wide phenotypic variability. Some patients present in early childhood with proximal muscle weakness affecting the lower and upper limbs resulting in difficulties running and climbing, whereas others present soon after birth with congenital limb or distal contractures. Additional features may include dysmorphic facial features and global developmental delay. Skeletal muscle biopsy may show nemaline rods (Nilipour et al., 2018; Pehlivan et al., 2019). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital myopathy, see CMYP1A (117000). [from OMIM]

Congenital myopathy-18 (CMYP18) is a disorder of the skeletal muscle characterized by the onset of symptoms of muscle weakness in early childhood, including in utero and infancy. There is clinical heterogeneity in the manifestations and severity, ranging from fetal akinesia sequence causing early death to onset of symptoms in adulthood. Most affected individuals show delayed motor development with generalized hypotonia and progressive axial and limb muscle weakness beginning soon after birth or in infancy. Additional features may include swallowing difficulties, external ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, high-arched palate, and respiratory insufficiency, which can lead to death in severe cases. Muscle biopsy shows variable morphologic abnormalities, including alveolar changes in the intermyofibrillar network, fiber size variability, focal disorganization, internal nuclei, and dilated sarcoplasmic reticulum and T-tubules. The disorder results from a defect in excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle (Schartner et al., 2017; Ravenscroft et al., 2021; Mauri et al., 2021; Yis et al., 2019). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital myopathy, see CMYP1A (117000). [from OMIM]

Retinal dystrophy, optic nerve edema, splenomegaly, anhidrosis, and migraine headache syndrome (ROSAH) is an autosomal dominant disorder in which affected individuals present in childhood with reduced vision associated with papilledema and low-grade ocular inflammation. Progressive deterioration of visual acuity results in counting fingers to no light perception by the third decade of life. Patients also show anhidrosis, as well as splenomegaly and mild pancytopenia, and most experience headaches that may be migraine-like in nature (Williams et al., 2019). [from OMIM]

An abnormality of an inferior rectus extraocular muscle. [from HPO]

An abnormality of a lateral rectus extra-ocular muscle. [from HPO]

An abnormality of the autonomic nervous system. [from HPO]

An abnormality of an extraocular muscle. [from HPO]

A structural abnormality of the autonomic nervous system. [from HPO]