Value of oculomyodynamometry in traumatic diplopia. Direct ocular muscle force measurements.

In 21 patients with traumatic diplopia, oculomyodynamometry (OMD) was used to examine the force of the extrinsic ocular muscles. In nine patients with blow-out fracture of the orbit, the greatest impairment in the active force and function of the incarcerated muscle was found in linear fractures. In 12 cases of traumatic paresis of the cranial nerves, OMD enabled the degree of paresis of particular extraocular muscles to be assessed, was helpful in establishing a correct diagnosis as well as prognosis for the restoration of function of the affected muscles, and provided data useful in planning the operative procedure.

[Levator strenght measurements. Oculomyodynamometry of the levator palpebrae superioris (author's transl)]. / Lidheberkraftmessungen - Okulomyodynamometrie des M. levator palpebrae superior.

The author describes a method of levator strength measurement with the oculomyodynamometer with which he measured a maximum strength of the levator muscle in adults of 58 G. The levators were much weaker in congenital ptosis. In three such cases the levators had strengths of only 9 G, 5 G and 5 G. In cases of acquired ptosis the reduced strength of the levators was on an average about half normal. This method allows 1. better diagnosis with levator paresis, 2. a control of its behaviour during the clinical course, 3. profiting from the measurement results for correcting operations on the levator muscle.