Acute abducens nerve palsy following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination: a case report

Abducens nerve palsy is the most common isolated ocular cranial nerve palsy. In adults, nontraumatic etiologies of isolated sixth cranial nerve palsy can include vascular disease, inflammation, tumors, and a prior history of infection.

We present a case of a 52-year-old Asian male who developed acute abducens nerve palsy after vaccination with the AstraZeneca coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine. A complete workup including magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and orbits revealed no abnormalities. The patient experienced a gradual recovery over 10 weeks through alternative eye patching. The abducens nerve palsy is postulated to be correlated with the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine.

Despite the recognized efficacy and cost benefits of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines, clinicians should be aware of the possible association between cranial nerve palsies and coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines.