Nystagmus

What is a Nystagmus?

Nystagmus is a rapid, involuntary movement of one or both eyes. The movement is usually side-to-side (horizontal nystagmus), but it can also be up and down (vertical nystagmus), or circular (rotary or torsional nystagmus). Broadly speaking, there are two types of nystagmus:

Congenital nystagmus, or infantile nystagmus syndrome, is present at birth and may be inherited.
Acquired nystagmus develops later in childhood or adulthood, possibly due to a disease or an injury.

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Symptoms of Nystagmus

Sensitivity to light
Difficulty seeing in darkness
Dizziness
Problems with depth perception that can affect balance and coordination
Holding your head in a turned or tilted position to improve vision
Other vision problems

If you are having vision problems, contact a medical professional.

Treatments for Nystagmus

Nystagmus is often a permanent condition, but certain treatments may be able to reduce the severity:

Glasses or contact lenses to improve associated vision problems
Surgery on the muscles that move the eyes
Taking medications
Eliminating certain medications, drugs, or alcohol
Treatment for underlying eye or medical problems that may be causing nystagmus

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Additional Information

How common is nystagmus?

Congenital nystagmus is estimated to affect one in 5,000 newborns.

Who gets nystagmus?

Nystagmus affects people of all ages, but congenital nystagmus most often develops by two to three months of age.

Causes of nystagmus can include:

Stroke
Head trauma
Central nervous system diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and brain tumors
Certain medications, such as anti-epilepsy drugs
Various eye disorders, such as cataracts, strabismus, nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism
Inner ear problems, such as Meniere’s disease
Albinism
Drug or alcohol use