Nystagmus is defined by rhythmic, abnormal eye movements with a "slow" eye movement driving the eye off the target followed by a second movement that brings the eye back to the target. The movement can be horizontal, vertical, torsional or a combination of these movements. Nystagmus can be jerk (named for fast phase) or pendular, variable amplitude and frequency, and can be worsened or improved by gaze position, fixation, or covering one eye (latent).
In addition to rapid eye movement, nystagmus symptoms include:
Options for managing nystagmus can vary from observation to aggressive surgeries depending on the nature and cause of the nystagmus.
For the treatment of congenital nystagmus (both in idiopathic and secondary forms), pharmacologic therapies with gabapentin and memantine have been studied in a randomized clinical trials of adult patients