No specific mutation has been identified. Several examples of parent to child transmission have been reported suggesting autosomal dominant inheritance.
Other nonsyndromal forms of congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles include: CFEOM1 (135700), CFEOM2 (602078), CFEOM3C (609384), and CFEOM5 (616219), although the eye movement phenotype may vary. See also Tukel CFEOM syndrome (609428).