Nystagmus is an involuntary repetitive movement of the eyes.
It usually occurs in the first months of life and remains forever. The movements are generally horizontal, but may also be vertical or circular. It usually compounds when the child is upset or when looking towards something bright and decreases when the child is trying to concentrate. During sleep nystagmus completely disappears.
It is a special condition and apart from vision it can also negatively affect the psychology of patients. Some children feel such shame about their condition that they completely avoid looking others in the eyes. The psychological burden grows further during puberty, when acquiring greater interest for their appearance.
Nystagmus and Vision
As expected, vision of children with nystagmus is quite problematic. However the brain, which processes the eyes images, does not result in a "shaking"...
Causes of nystagmus
Nystagmus is usually idiopathic, which means that causes that cause it are not known
Treatment of nystagmus
Children with nystagmus often also have strabismus, amblyopia and refractive abnormalities