National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Brown syndrome


Other Names:
Superior Oblique Tendon Sheath syndrome; Tendon Sheath Adherence, Superior Oblique
Categories:
Brown syndrome is an eye disorder characterized by abnormalities in the eye's ability to move. Specifically, the ability to look up and in is affected by a problem in the superior oblique muscle/tendon. The condition may be present at birth (congenital) or it may develop following surgery or as a result of inflammation or a problem with development. Some cases are constant while other are intermittent. Treatment depends upon the cause and severity of the movement disorder. Options include close observation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents like Ibuprofen, corticosteroids, and surgery.[1]
Last updated: 12/5/2011
Treatment recommendations vary depending on the cause and severity of the condition. In mild cases, a watch and wait approach may be sufficient. Visual acuity should be monitored. First line therapy usually involves less invasive options such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like Ibuprofen.  Acquired cases of inflammatory Brown syndrome may be successfully treated with corticosteroids. Surgery is considered in cases which present with double vision, compromised binocular vision, significant abnormalities in head position or obvious eye misalignment when looking straight ahead.[1] 

You can find additional information regarding treatment of Brown syndrome through PubMed, a searchable database of biomedical journal articles. Although not all of the articles are available for free online, most articles listed in PubMed have a summary available. To obtain the full article, contact a medical/university library or your local library for interlibrary loan. You can also order articles online through the publisher’s Web site. Using 'brown syndrome [ti] AND treatment' as your search term should help you locate articles. Use the advanced search feature to narrow your search results. Click here to view a search.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Web site has a page for locating libraries in your area that can provide direct access to these journals (print or online). The Web page also describes how you can get these articles through interlibrary loan and Loansome Doc (an NLM document-ordering service). You can access this page at the following link http://nnlm.gov/members/. You can also contact the NLM toll-free at 888-346-3656 to locate libraries in your area.

Last updated: 12/5/2011

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Brown syndrome. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Brown syndrome. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Brown Syndrome. American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Home. http://www.aapos.org/terms/conditions/29. Accessed 12/5/2011.