Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:To assess whether eye movement recordings aid in the diagnosis of nystagmus. Methods:18 patients with nystagmus associated with retinal disease or low vision and 9 patients with idiopathic congenital nystagmus (CIN). Ophthalmological and electrophysiological examinations were performed to establish a diagnosis. Infrared or electro–oculogram eye movement were obtained from all patients. Results:In patients with low vision, the clinical diagnosis was: achromatopsia (5 patients), congenital stationary night blindness (1), congenital cataracts (3), retinopathy of prematurity (2), retinitis pigmentosa (1), optic nerve hypoplasia (2), optic disc coloboma (1), macular coloboma (1), Bardet Biedl syndrome (1), and congenital stromal dystrophy (1). There were 9 patients with congenital idiopathic nystagmus in the good vision group. Analysis indicated that achromotopsia had fine (typically 1 degree) high frequency (mean 8 Hz) nystagmus. Where as patients with nystagmus and other associated diseases had larger amplitude (typically 6 degrees) and lower frequency (mean 4 Hz). Patients with CIN had a mean amplitude of 4 degrees and a nystagmus frequency of 3 Hz. 26% of the patients with retinal disease/low vision had disconjugate nystagmus. All patients with CIN had conjugate nystagmus. Conclusions:Our study highlights that eye movement recordings is a useful additional clinical tool in patients with nystagmus and poor vision. Disconjugate or high frequency (>7 Hz) nystagmus suggests association with ocular pathology.
Keywords: nystagmus • low vision