Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Nystagmus - a little known but surprisingly common eye disease

Nystagmus is a type of uncontrolled eye movements, at about one in 2,000 people, it is of alternating smooth eye movement in one direction and saccadic (abrupt, short) movement in the other direction. Movement can generally from side to side, but sometimes circular motion up and down or even. Nystagmus is not painful and does not lead to a progressive loss of vision

Types of nystagmus

There are more than 40 different types of nystagmusbut they are usually divided into two basic categories:

1. Nystagmus present from early in life than early-onset nystagmus, or congenital nystagmus is known, it is often accompanied by vision loss at birth or soon after and acquired may be one of the first signs that a child has a loss of vision.

2. Nystagmus, which develops later in life is acquired nystagmus.

Causes of Nystagmus

1. Early onset nystagmus: Pediatric Nystagmus can be a problem with the eyes or causethe visual pathway, which the brain to the eyes. This type of nystagmus is usually noted first between 6 weeks and 8 weeks old and it may cause the retina associated with albinism, optic nerve or problems. It is probably a genetic factor in the crime and doctors have recently found a breakthrough in the discovery of a gene with nystagmus, which holds great promise for future treatments announced.

Many patients have no eyes, brain or other health problemsand in these cases the condition as congenital idiopathic nystagmus (which means that the nystagmus begins early and the cause is unknown) are known. Nystagmus associated with albinism has characteristics similar to idiopathic nystagmus but usually still months away after 2 years. Nystagmus can also be found in children with Down syndrome.

2. Acquired Nystagmus: Nystagmus can be acquired later in life by neurological dysfunction such as head injury, multiple sclerosis orBrain tumors. Nystagmus can be caused by lesions in the cerebellum, the area of the brainstem where the vestibular cranial nerve arises or vestibular further along the tracks.

Signs and symptoms of nystagmus

Nystagmus, with limited visibility finds constant movement of the eyes, worse will nod with fatigue or stress, fluctuations in visual acuity, sometimes with the head and often the head is carried out at an angle and the eyes are on one side (this slows down the consideredMovement, a zero-point and allows for better view). Patients with nystagmus frequently have other vision problems like astigmatism require that prescription eyeglasses, and strabismus. Impairment of binocular vision is common with early onset nystagmus and impaired depth perception indirectly in many patients.

The presence of a pale optic disc, or a history of progressive vision loss, should show that the nystagmus is acquired and possibly a new formationthe visual system.

Risk Factors

The following factors increase your chance of developing nystagmus: a family member with nystagmus, albinism, eye diseases such as optic nerve degeneration, severe astigmatism or nearsightedness, diseases of the body, such as Meniere's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, head injury, use of drugs such as lithium or anti-seizure drugs, alcohol or drug use and infections of the inner ear.

The treatment of nystagmus

OnThere is currently no cure for nystagmus, however, for the first time there is an increased number of researchers in the health and genetic research in particular, a new hope.

Contact Lenses Contact lenses have shown that some patients nystagmus probably because of the actual contact with the eye that help to better control of the horizontal nystagmus movement.
Prisms can be used to converge around the eyes which are the nystagmus.

Simple tests like visualVisual acuity may decrease to the vision, if the patient is under stress or has latent nystagmus, the nystagmus increases in both eyes, when one eye is covered, caused misleading.

Biofeedback, which control the patient to eye movements to a certain extent by the use of visual and acoustic effects of teaching was reported by some people of that advantage.

Surgery has, in particular tetonomy (cutting the eye muscles and reattaching them) were very successful in the United States used.Botox, baclofen and gabapentin and recently Mamentine are drugs that are tested. There have been reports of good success with acupuncture has been.

Living with nystagmus

Nystagmus can affect almost every aspect of life, including a patient to other people, education and employment opportunities and self-image concerns.

Most people who have had nystagmus all their lives are not effected by the constantly moving image as its brain to control movement of the adjustedEyes, but those with acquired nystagmus can not adapt so well and can suffer from dizziness and vertigo.

Depth perception is significant in general, it can cause problems with balance and a perceived clumsiness cause can be reduced.

Apart from certain parts of the United States, where optical devices are accepted, people with nystagmus can not have a driver's license, so they are on public transport, which can be a problem in need in foreign places.

Socially, because it is difficult tofor someone with nystagmus, keep eye contact, it can be a problem maintaining self-confidence. However, there are many people with the condition that a very successful and fruitful existence of life, adapting easily, their condition and building normal life.

For children with nystagmus, it is important that their teachers and classmates, as the state they so problems, which is influenced to avoid misunderstandings recommended. For example, children withNystagmus may be slow, because the additional time is needed to read printed materials scan. This should not be taken as a sign of poor reading skills. Students or students with nystagmus need additional time to study and when sitting exams. Many students with nystagmus use computers because they position monitors to adjust their own needs and the brightness, size, and so on.

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