About Nystagmus Eye Movements

Fairfield County Ophthalmologist Leslie Doctor, M.D. commented on nystagmus eye movements. “Nystagmus is a type of abnormal eye movement that a person cannot control. The eyes may move from side-to-side, up and down, in a circle, or one eye may go up and the other down- it is quite individual,” explained Dr. Leslie Doctor of Doctor & Associates with offices in Norwalk, Westport and Wilton, Connecticut. Here are some things to know about nystagmus:
There are two kinds of nystagmus: congenital and acquired. Congenital nystagmus is present soon after birth. It may be caused by:

- Problems in the brain

- Poor vision early in life from conditions such as Cataracts (cloudiness of the lens), problems with the retina (the tissue lining in the back of the eye that turns light into visual images) or optic nerve (the nerve that connects the eye to the brain) and congenital Glaucoma (high pressure in the eye causing damage to the optic nerve).

Acquired nystagmus develops later in life and may be caused by:

- Drugs and medicines (such as anti-seizure medications or alcohol)

- Multiple sclerosis
- Brain tumors
- Stroke
- Injury

Sometimes no cause can be found and this instance, this type of nystagmus is called idiopathic.

The symptoms of nystagmus depend on when the problem happens. If you have nystagmus from an early age, your vision will usually be decreased but the eye movements may not bother you. Nystagmus that develops later in life may lead to blurry vision, dizziness, problems with walking or a sense that your vision is shaking. Some people with nystagmus turn or tilt their head to lessen the symptoms.

If you are concerned that you might have nystagmus or you know someone with nystagmus who needs to be examined by an Ophthalmologist, please do not hesitate to call Doctor & Associates at 203-227-4113 for an appointment, visit Doctor & Associates or facebook.com/doctorandassociates.