Nystagmus

Nystagmus, also known as abnormal movements in the eye, can cause your child to be unable to control his or her eyes, fail to see objects correctly, or have trouble focusing on one object at a time. The eyes can also move rapidly back and forth. It is not uncommon for your child’s vision to be deteriorated or blurred, and your child might not even realize that there is a problem with the symptoms that are being experienced.

Nystagmus can be caused by damage to an area of the eye, an imbalance of the ears, nerve damage to the brain, and vitamin deficiencies. It is also sometimes congenital in infants, where it is known as infantile nystagmus syndrome.

In some cases, abnormal eye movement can be the result of a brain tumor. If a brain tumor is the cause, the symptoms go beyond what is expected with traditional nystagmus.

Treatment options for nystagmus depend on what is causing the condition. The underlying condition will need to be treated first in order for the symptoms to go away and for vision to return to normal. For example, if the condition is present from birth, the use of corrective lenses might be all that is needed for treatment, while vitamin deficiencies can be treated with supplements and diet correction. At times surgery is used to correct the nystagmus.