Internal ophthalmoplegia resulting from acute orbital phycomycosis.

Phycomycosis is an opportunistic infection occurring in immunocompromised hosts. It is the most acutely fatal fungal disease known. Therefore, early recognition and treatment are essential. Ocular and orbital involvement is part of a rhino-orbital-cerebral form of the disease. The orbital apex syndrome is the hallmark orbital involvement. A case of phycomycosis with internal ophthalmoplegia alone is reported. The internal ophthalmoplegia is probably secondary to involvement at the apex of the orbit, although not sufficiently diffuse to result in the complete orbital apex syndrome.