brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Horner Syndrome
Causes of Horner Syndrome
Some of the nerve fibers that connect the eyes and brain take a circuitous route. From the brain, they go down the spinal cord. They exit the spinal cord in the chest, then go back up the neck beside the carotid artery, through the skull, and into the eye. If these nerve fibers are disrupted anywhere along their pathway, Horner syndrome results. Horner syndrome may occur on its own or be caused by another disorder. For example, it can be caused by disorders of the head, brain, neck, chest, or spinal cord, such as the following: Lung Cancer None Other tumors Swollen lymph glands in the neck (cervical adenopathy) Aortic Dissection or carotid artery (a tear in the lining of the artery's wall) A Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms (a bulge in the aorta's wall) Injuries Horner syndrome may be present at birth (congenital). 