What is a Nystagmus?:
Nystagmus is the uncontrollable movement of the eye, usually from side to side but sometimes up and down or in a circular motion. Vision can be difficult for the brain to decipher the constantly moving image, known as "oscillopsia".
There are two main types: "early onset nystagmus" or "congenital nystagmus" is when the condition appears in the first few months of life, whilst "acquired nystagmus" may appear later in life.
However some other eye conditions are related to nystagmus. Early onset nystagmus does not usually get worse with time but underlying eye conditions may cause deteriorating vision. Though treatment of the underlying condition may improve nystagmus, the condition itself is usually permanent.
Between 1 in 1000 - 2000 people are affected by the condition.
Symptoms:
With early onset nystagmus, the brain has more chance to get used to the moving image so doesn't effect sight as much as I does if it develops later in life as it can be difficult to adjust to oscillopsia.
Sight impairment varies from mild to having to be registered as severly visually impairedor blind. Vision may vary due to a number of factors such as tiredness, nervousness and stress and may change in severity during the day.
Nystagmus is painless but suffers may get tired more quickly because of the extra effort needed to look at things. Reading, concentrating on whats going on around them and getting around in unfamiliar and busy places can be difficult.
Depth perception (and sometimes as a concesquence, balance) is usually affected, making orientation and mobility more difficult and suffers can seem slow and clumsy. Most of those with Nystagmus have vision which is well below what is considered to be short sighted
Causes:
Nystagmus is not contageous or infectous but may sometimes be hereditry.
Congenital nystagmus is usually an indication of a problem with the eye or optic nerve. It occurs in conjuction with numerous other eye conditions such as albinism, cataracts and glaucoma. It can also be linked to other disabilities such Down's Syndrome.
Many children with nystagmus have no other problems and the cause is unknown. Some types of nystagmus can be inherited.
Acquired nystagmus may be a sympton of another condition such as multiple sclerosis, a stroke or even trauma to the head. Alcoholism and drug abuse is also known to be a factor.
For a comprehensive list of possible causes click here.
As nystagmus is often related to other conditions it is important for people who develop it to be refered to an ophalmologist or neurologist to check for other problems.
Treatment:
Nystagmus is incurable but there are a number of ways to minimise it's effects.
Correcting the underlying cause of the problem can help dramatically, such as wearing glasses for sufferers who also have focal problems.
Many people with the condition have a "null" point in their vision, a certain position, angle and distance away from them, that they can focus on and see more easily. Some sufferers can read small text but it is usually easier to read larger, clear text and establishing the corect distance and angle to increases the ability to read.
Many people with nystagmus have been observed turning their head to a certain angle or noddubg or shaking their head which may conteract the eye movement.
Surgery may be performed on some cases to alter the position of the eye muscles, reducing the amount a person has to turn their head to se better.
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Thursday 10 June 2010
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