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Sixth nerve palsy results from dysfunction or damage of your sixth cranial nerve, also known as the abducens nerve. This causes problems with eye movement. The sixth cranial nerve sends signals to your lateral rectus muscle.This is a small muscle that attaches to the outer side of your eye.ixth nerve palsy may affect one or both eyes, depending on its cause. The most common symptom of sixth nerve palsy is double vision when both eyes are open. This is more common when looking far away or when looking in the direction of the affected eye.
Etiology. Third cranial (oculomotor) nerve disorders that cause palsies and affect the pupil commonly result from aneurysms (especially of the posterior communicating artery) and transtentorial brain herniation (see Brain herniation. ) and less commonly from meningitis affecting the brain stem (eg, TB meningitis).The most common cause of palsies that spare the pupil, particularly partial palsies, is ischemia of the 3rd cranial nerve (usually due to diabetes or hypertension) or of the midbrain.Occasionally, a posterior communicating artery aneurysm causes oculomotor palsy and spares the pupil. and less commonly from meningitis affecting the brain stem (eg, TB meningitis). The most common cause of palsies that spare the pupil, particularly partial palsies, is ischemia of the 3rd cranial nerve (usually due to diabetes or hypertension) or of the midbrain.