Rare Condition Where Eyeballs Can’t Move To The Side Has People Amazed


Rare Condition Where Eyeballs Can't Move To The Side Has People Amazed@vantasticmess/TikTok

TikTok users are being educated on a rare eye condition which prevents the eyeball from moving to one side. 

Duane’s retraction syndrome affects approximately 1%-5% of individuals who have eye movement disorders, also known as strabismus, and is characterised by a limited ability to move the eye horizontally inwards, outwards or in both directions.


TikToker @vantasticmess, who has Left Eye Duane’s Retraction Syndrome, gave viewers an insight into life with the condition as he responded to one curious user asking if he sees two different things when looking left.

Check out his response below:


The TikToker explained he does see two different things when looking left, but noted the difference in the direction of his eyes is visible from the outside much before he starts seeing two different things.


Addressing his followers, @vantasticmess went on to say the impacts on his vision also depend on the angle at which he is looking at the camera, saying it ‘takes a lot longer for [his] left eye to stop turning left’ when he looks up.

As well as being unable to move when he looks left, the TikToker demonstrated how his eye ‘retracts’ into his head when he looks to the right, causing his eyelid to pull together.

Duane's Retraction Syndrome (@vantasticmess/TikTok)@vantasticmess/TikTok

The TikToker has been thanked for discussing the condition with his followers, though he’s not the only one to speak about their experiences with Duane’s Retraction Syndrome as TikToker @thelazyboyfriend also demonstrated their condition in action.


In response to a clip of the TikToker showing their eye refusing to move when they looked to the right, one person wrote that the informative video was ‘really interesting’, while others who share the same condition praised @thelazyboyfriend for helping educate people on Duane’s Retraction Syndrome.

According to Rare Diseases, the majority of cases of Duane’s Retraction Syndrome are ‘sporadic in origin’, with only approximately 10% of patients inheriting the condition through a familial pattern.


Topics: Science, Eye, TikTok


  1. @vantasticmess/TikTok


Emily Brown
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