Nystagmus
Description:
The nystagmus is involuntary rhythmical oscillating motions of eyes. Distinguish a physiological and pathological nystagmus. In certain cases at a nystagmus twitching of eyes is noted up and down.
Nystagmus symptoms:
The nystagmus is usually a state which normal occurs at children. Experts claim that the nystagmus happens at one of several thousand children. Among forms of a nystagmus it is possible to note such:
* Explicit nystagmus,
* Inborn nystagmus,
* Hidden nystagmus,
* The acquired nystagmus.
The fact that it is noted constantly while its emergence is characteristic of the hidden nystagmus when one eye is closed is characteristic of an explicit nystagmus.
There are two types of a nystagmus:
* Optokinetic (are connected with eyes),
* Vestibular (connected with an inner ear).
The "punctiform" nystagmus can sometimes occur at people with a disease of an inner ear (which belongs to a vestibular mechanism). At the same time eyes slowly go in one direction in the beginning, and then in another. Owing to the movement of eyes such patients can have a dizziness and nausea. This type of a nystagmus usually temporary, and it can occur also at patients with Menyer's disease or at hit in a water ear. In certain cases reception of decongestants can eliminate such type of a nystagmus.
All forms of a nystagmus are involuntary movements, that is the patient with a nystagmus cannot independently stop this state or begin it. With age the nystagmus decreases a little, but the fatigue and a stress can provoke it.
At patients with a nystagmus defeat, both sight, and a self-assessment is noted. Most of people with a nystagmus has certain restrictions of sight as their eyes constantly move that does not allow them to see an object accurately. Some people with a nystagmus have so many problems with sight that they can be considered almost blind.
Nystagmus reasons:
Inborn nystagmus. The inborn nystagmus occurs at children rather seldom. Among the reasons of its emergence it is possible to call both birth trauma, and disturbances of pre-natal development. Practically in all cases the nystagmus is combined as with organic changes in visual system, for example, a partial atrophy of an optic nerve, dystrophic changes on an eyeground, and with functional vision disorders. They develop at a nystagmus against the background of the accompanying pathology, first of all an astigmatism, far-sightedness, short-sightedness or squint.
The acquired nystagmus can meet at such diseases as brain tumors, a multiple sclerosis, at injuries of the head or as side effect of some drugs. In rare instances frequent breath, flash of light before eyes or nicotine and even vibrations can become the reason of a nystagmus.
Treatment of the Nystagmus:
Both therapeutic, and surgical methods of treatment are applied. Use of devices which are used to increase in visual acuity, reduction of blood circulation in an eye, increase in activity of process of a metabolism in visual cells belongs to conservative treatment.
It is necessary to carry out treatment of a nystagmus in cooperation with the neuropathologist, courses on two-three weeks several times a year. Surgical treatment of a nystagmus consists in carrying out special eye muscle operations, for the purpose of reduction of amplitude and frequency of oscillating motions. Treatment is rather long. The purpose is sight improvement that the child with a nystagmus could study at usual school, adapt among age-mates.
