Nystagmus is a rare condition that involves rapid, uncontrollable eye movements that could cause them to go up and down (vertical nystagmus), side to side (horizontal nystagmus), or in circles (torsional nystagmus). According to the Cleveland Clinic, it can be a condition you’re born with, develop as a child, or one that you acquire over time as an adult. These movements can create balance and coordination issues, can cause dizziness, and may affect your depth perception. Nystagmus can be in just one eye, or both. Objects can appear blurry or shaky, and nighttime vision can be affected, too. Some people also experience light sensitivity with nystagmus, as well.

Causes and Treatment

While babies are often born with nystagmus, older children and adults who acquire the condition later in life do so because of underlying conditions. Most often, they’re neurological, such as a stroke, brain trauma, epilepsy, brain tumor, or toxicity of the brain (alcohol or drug use). Or it could be related to an inner ear/vestibular condition caused by inflammation. Lastly, it could have something to do with the optic nerve, retina, or other eye condition. The main problem with nystagmus is that the eyes, ears, and brain are not necessarily “talking to each other” and that causes the rapid eye movement symptoms. This is why it’s important to check with your various health care providers to determine the root cause of the nystagmus and address those issues along with the nystagmus itself. In addition to your eye care provider, you may need to visit a neurologist or an audiologist to learn more about what’s going on with the brain and inner ear.

Once all other factors have been considered and addressed, the first line of eye care treatment would be corrective lenses (either eyeglasses or contact lenses), which could include prism lenses. Medications can also help to treat the eye movements, and in some (rare) cases, eye surgery may be recommended to help strengthen the muscles that control the eyes.

Addressing nystagmus will require a team approach and a lot of patience in figuring out what’s causing it, but it can be treated. For more information on this condition, see the American Optometric Association.