Nystagmus

Definition: Involuntary, jerking movements of the eye

Forms:

Congenital - most often develops by 2 to 3 months of age. The eyes tend to move in a horizontal swinging fashion. It is often associated with other conditions such as albinism, congenital absence of the iris (the colored part of the eye), underdeveloped optic nerves, and congenital cataract.
Spasmus nutans - usually occurs between 6 months and 3 years of age and resolves spontaneously between 2 and 8 years of age. Children with this form of nystagmus often display head nodding and a head tilt. Their eyes may move in any direction. This type of nystagmus usually does not require treatment.
Acquired - develops later in childhood or adulthood. The cause is often unknown, but it may be due to central nervous system and metabolic disorders or alcohol and drug toxicity.

Causes: Nystagmus results from the instability or impairment of the system responsible for controlling eye movements. When nystagmus develops in early childhood, it can be caused by a problem with the visual pathway from the eye to the brain. Often the child has no other eye or medical problem. Acquired nystagmus, which occurs later in life, can be the symptom of another condition such as stroke, multiple sclerosis or a blow to the head.

Other causes of nystagmus include:

Lack of development of normal eye movement control early in life
Albinism
Very high refractive error, e.g. nearsightedness (myopia) or astigmatism
Congenital cataracts
Inflammation of the inner ear
Medications such as anti-epilepsy drugs
Central nervous system diseases

Treatments: Nystagmus can not be cured.

Pronunciation: [ni-stag-muh s] http://static.sfdict.com/staticrep/dictaudio/N02/N0277400.mp3

APA citation

Nystagmus. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nystagmus?s=t

Nystagmus. Retrieved from http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vision-problems/glossary-of-eye-and-vision-conditions/nystagmus?sso=y