Background: Recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy (RPON), formerly known as ophthalmoplegic migraine (OM), is a poorly understood condition that presents with recurrent unilateral headaches and at least one ocular cranial nerve (CN) palsy, generally in childhood. There has been ongoing debate about whether the etiology of this disorder is neuropathic or related to migraines. The Case: We present a case about a 10-year-old male with his third presentation of RPON, repeatedly affecting his right oculomotor nerve. His treatment choices are discussed, along with associated outcomes. The patient was treated with topiramate with resolution of his symptoms occurred within one month. Conclusion: As the annual incidence of RPON is rare at fewer than 1 case per million people, clear documentation of observed cases with treatment failures and successes is key to building evidence for future management.
Neuroimaging of a paediatric ophthalmoplegic migraine
