Isolated Painful Oculomotor Nerve Palsy as a Rare Complication of the Sinopharm COVID-19 Vaccine: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

There are limited reports of oculomotor nerve palsy following vaccination. Herein, we aimed to report a case of acute oculomotor nerve palsy following the first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine. A 17-year-old woman presented with a history of acute painful diplopia and right ptosis within a week after receiving the first dosage of the Sinopharm vaccine. The neurological examination was compatible with acute right third nerve palsy sparing pupils. All the para-clinical tests were unremarkable. With a diagnosis of possible oculomotor nerve palsy as an adverse event of the COVID-19 vaccine, she was treated with steroids leading to a significant recovery. We reported the first case of acute oculomotor nerve palsy associated with the Sinopharm vaccine. However, our findings dose not conclude a causal association between oculomotor nerve palsy and COVID-19 vaccination.