[Diplopia following local anesthesia].

In dentistry diplopia following injection of a local anaesthetic is a rare complication. A case is presented in which a patient developed a transient paralysis of a lateral rectus muscle. The literature concerning orbital involvement of local anaesthetics is discussed. The most likely explanation for the occurrence of these adverse effects is intra-vascular injection in the superior or inferior alveolar artery with backflow into the vessels supplying the orbit.