Non-Surgical Management of Abnormal Head Posture in Duane Retraction Syndrome: A Mini Review

Abstract

Duane retraction syndrome (DRS) is a congenital ocular motility disorder characterized by dysinnervation of the lateral rectus muscle, limited horizontal movement, and globe retraction with palpebral fissure narrowing on adduction. Many affected children adopt Naseri M. Non-surgical management of AHP. JMR. 2026; 20(3):234-238. (AHP) to maintain binocular single vision and avoid diplopia. When such postures appear early in life and persist through the years of rapid craniofacial growth, they may predispose the patient to facial asymmetry and musculoskeletal imbalance. Surgical correction can improve alignment and reduce AHP in selected cases but is often deferred in very young children or when primary position deviation is small. This short communication summarizes the patterns of AHP in the main clinical types of DRS, reviews key elements of non-surgical management (including amblyopia therapy, refractive correction, simple positioning strategies, and use of the patch test), and highlights the importance of early recognition and intervention to reduce the risk of permanent craniofacial changes.