This article contains the details you need to know about nystagmus (eye tremor) : What is nystagmus, what are its symptoms and effects, in whom does it occur, what causes it and how is it treated?
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What is Nystagmus?
The condition in which a person moves their eyes involuntarily is called nystagmus in the medical literature . Nystagmus , which can occur in one or both eyes, is also defined as “eye tremor” by those who experience this disorder and those around them .
In case of eye tremor , the eyes move without receiving a command (without the person’s request). The direction of the tremor (oscillation) varies from person to person:
Horizontal Nystagmus: Tremor of the eye directed to the right or left side is defined as horizontal nystagmus. Horizontal nystagmus is observed in the majority of patients diagnosed with nystagmus.
Vertical Nystagmus: Tremor of the eye directed up or down, diagonally down or diagonally up is defined as vertical nystagmus.
Circular Nystagmus: The shaking of the eye as it rotates around itself is defined as circular (rotational) nystagmus.
In addition, if the intensity of eye oscillations – when evaluated according to directions – is equal in speed, it is defined as pendulum, and if it is faster in one direction than in the opposite direction, it is defined as jumping nystagmus.
What are the symptoms of eye tremor?
Nystagmus varies depending on the trigger, blurred or double vision or strabismus , impaired balance, headache or dizziness, night blindness, difficulty walking or speaking and/or reading, sensitivity to light, heavy hearing or tinnitus, fatigue. It may show its presence with similar symptoms.
Since eye tremors may sometimes go unnoticed, people should consult a healthcare provider without delay if they experience one or more of the above-mentioned symptoms.
What are the effects of nystagmus?
Nystagmus causes the patient to experience some vision problems, most commonly blurred vision, but the suffering caused by this problem varies from patient to patient. In other words, while a nystagmus patient is able to drive in traffic, another nystagmus patient can barely continue his daily life. In a different scenario, one patient can use the computer easily by adjusting the level of screen light and the size of the fonts, while the other patient cannot use the computer because he gets tired in a short time, despite all the regulations.
Eye tremor also causes some common conditions for many patients (The severity of the effect varies). What stands out among these is that the time between “seeing and perceiving what you see” takes longer in nystagmus patients than in those who do not have this disorder. A similar situation also occurs in reading speed, although it is independent of reading skill.
It is also possible that a nygtagmus patient may not be able to grasp distance because he or she has vision problems, and therefore may experience situations such as moving slowly, losing balance, or tripping while walking. These effects may cause the patient to stay away from some sports activities. Patients may prefer to keep their eyes and/or head in the most comfortable position to obtain a healthier vision. These effects of eye tremor may increase or decrease throughout the day depending on the person’s emotional state.
Who Gets Nystagmus?
Nystagmus , that is, impaired eye movements, can be seen in individuals of all ages. It may occur at birth (congenital nystagmus) due to different reasons, or it may occur in the later stages of life. Its incidence is -estimated- one in a thousand.
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What Causes Eye Flickering?
The cause of congenital nystagmus , that is, congenital eye tremor, is variable. Inadequate functioning of the eye or optic nerves, genetic factors, or childhood eye conditions such as cataracts may trigger nystagmus. On the other hand, congenital nystagmus may occur even if there is no underlying cause. It may take up to the sixth week of birth for advanced eye tremor to be noticed in babies.
Eye tremor can occur at any time, even after childhood . In such cases, the causes of the disorder are usually stroke and similar diseases or accidents. The direction of eye tremor varies depending on the underlying trigger:
Horizontal nystagmus usually occurs in parallel with the presence of problems such as inflammation and tumor in the balance organs of the inner ear. In such a case, the severity of eye tremor may increase as the patient moves . Horizontal histagmus is also likely to occur in neurologically based disorders .
Neurological diseases that damage the nervous system and brain are among the top causes of vertical nystagmus . This type of eye tremor is likely to last for a long time.
Diseases related to the nervous system are also triggers of circular or rotational nystagmus . In addition, some types of cancer, viral infections and traumas may cause the eye to make involuntary circular movements.
In summary, it can be said that the brain and nervous system, infection, trauma, tumor, etc. If the patient is affected by other causes, eye tremors may also be observed. It is also possible that eye-related diseases and alcohol use may cause nystagmus. However, a person may suffer from nystagmus even if they do not have any health problems. The causes of this type of physiological eye tremor are different.
For example, cold/hot water going into the ear or following moving objects by bringing them very close to the eyes.
How Is Nystagmus Diagnosed?
The emergence of eye tremor may be due to different reasons, as mentioned above. In this regard, first of all, the patient must share his health history with his physician in order to diagnose eye tremor (nystagmus) and to reveal the underlying factors.
Based on what the history indicates, the patient undergoes a physical examination by the specialist physician. The physician may also request additional tests and examinations from some patients to facilitate diagnosis.
How is Nystagmus Treated?
Unfortunately, today there is no method to directly and definitively treat eye tremor . However, if the underlying disease is determined, treatments for this disease are applied to reduce the severity of nystagmus .
In order to evaluate treatment options, it should be known when the symptoms of eye tremor appear and how often they occur; The patient should be examined by both an ophthalmologist and a neurologist.
Treatment methods applied within the scope of rehabilitation of eye tremor :
- Although the use of glasses or contact lenses does not have a direct curative effect on eye tremors , the patient may be advised to use these tools to treat some eye diseases. Correcting the refractive errors of the eye with glasses or contact lenses – in appropriate patients – can reduce the magnitude or frequency of nystagmus in some patients. In addition, prism glasses are known to be beneficial especially for congenital nystagmus patients .
- In some patients, interventions on the eye muscles may be necessary. This treatment method is useful in preventing the patient’s head from tilting.
- If eye tremors occur due to loss of balance, drug treatment can be started.
- The patient may undergo surgical intervention to treat the disease that triggers nystagmus.
- If the patient’s eye tremor is severe, the specialist may also intervene in the eye muscles by choosing direct surgery. Although a definitive judgment cannot be made about the result obtained by the surgical method, the physician will make the best decision by making a patient-specific evaluation.
Since correct diagnosis is essential for determining the correct treatment method, it should not be forgotten that those who experience symptoms of eye tremor (nystagmus) should consult a physician who is an expert in the field.
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