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El nistagmus It is a rare and complex condition that causes involuntary movement of the eyes. When a patient has nystagmus, his eyes may constantly move in one direction. 

This disease can occur at any age and is associated with various ocular and neurological pathologies. In Área Oftalmológica Avanzada We explain what nystagmus is, why it occurs and how to treat it. 

ocular nystagmus

Definition of nystagmus

Nystagmus is a disease that causes rhythmic and involuntary movement of one or both eyes. 

The eye movement it causes has two phases, back and forth. Pendulum nystagmus occurs when both phases are symmetric in speed. 

Spring nystagmus occurs when the phases are asymmetrical, meaning the movement is faster to one side than the other. 

Classification of nystagmus

Nystagmus can have direction, ampdifferent length, frequency and intensity. 

  • The direction can be horizontal, vertical, torsional and mixed.
  • La ampThe length of the nystagmus is the path that each eye takes in each phase. 
  • The frequency expresses the number of oscillations per minute that the eye makes. 
  • The intensity is the result of amplititude by frequency. 

The most frequent nystagmus is that of horizontal movement. 

El conjugate nystagmus occurs when the eyes move at the same time in the same direction, with equal amplitude and frequency in the different positions of the gaze. It is considered dissociated or disconjugated if it does not meet the characteristics of the conjugate. 

Some patients with this disease have a zone of blockage. It is a gaze position in which movement decreases or disappears. This causes many patients with nystagmus to develop torticollis, as they tend to bend their heads to bring their gaze to the blockage area and stop the oscillation. 

Causes

Nystagmus is a disease that can be caused by eye and neurological conditions. 

Diagnosis

It is identified with the naked eye, so its diagnosis is very simple. When a person suffers from nystagmus, it is important to perform a ophthalmologic evaluation and complete neurology to determine the cause of the problem. 

During the ophthalmological consultation, both ocular structures will be examined to rule out the presence of squint, Cataracts, alterations in the optic nerve and anomalies in the retina

Currently, a test called videonystagmography can be done. This test provides the ophthalmologist with information about involuntary eye movements and allows the diagnosis of minimal manifestation nystagmus. 

Transmission

The treatment of nystagmus aims to improve visual health and decrease involuntary movements. 

Medical treatment of nystagmus may include: 

  • glasses or contact lenses to improve vision. 
  • Prisms to treat horizontal nystagmus. This allows to improve the position of both eyes when looking straight ahead.
  • injections of Botulinum toxin to relax the eye muscles.
  • Treatment of amblyopia, which consists of occluding the eye that has better vision. 
  • In patients with torticollis, you can opt for the use of prisms or eye muscle surgery.
Summary
Nistagmus
Article name
Nistagmus
Description
Nystagmus causes involuntary movement of one or both eyes. Discover its causes, diagnosis and treatment.
Author
Name of the editor
Área Oftalmológica Avanzada
Editor's logo
Synonyms:
Involuntary eye movement, Nystagmus
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