Nystagmus

Nystagmus appears as an involuntary constant movement of the eyes. The eyes appear to 'dance', 'shake' or 'jump' around. Nystagmus usually means that there is a problem with the eyes or the brain. It may be present at birth or shortly after (congenital) or it may occur later in life (acquired).

Congenital nystagmus

There are two types of congenital nystagmus:

Nystagmus due to poor vision is noticed typically between two and four months of age. Generally, the worse the vision, the more movement of the eyes. Possible reasons why a baby may have poor vision are cataract, albinism, optic nerve abnormalities and disorders of the retina. It is important that children with nystagmus be examined by an ophthalmologist to see if the underlying cause can be treated.

Nystagmus due to eye muscle problems is present at birth or soon after. It occurs when the normal balance of eye movements is disrupted. People with this kind of nystagmus may turn their heads or cross their eyes to slow the nystagmus, thus improving their vision.

Acquired Nystagmus

Older children or adults may develop nystagmus for various reasons including neurological disease, head injury, inner ear disease and stroke.

Treatment of nystagmus

Nystagmus due to poor vision does not usually improve even if the vision can be corrected. Treatment options for other types of nystagmus depend on the cause of the problem.