Infantile nystagmus: current concepts in diagnosis and management

Abstract

This review examines current approaches to the diagnosis and management of congenital forms of nystagmus. Emphasis is placed on diagnostic features that are amenable to clinical identification but those issues that can be addressed only with more detailed investigations, such as eye movement recording, are indicated. Non‐surgical management, including prism spectacles, contact lenses and vision therapy, is discussed, as are surgical approaches. Because many aspects of congenital forms of nystagmus, particularly as experienced by patients with the condition in their normal lives, are poorly addressed in both the clinical and research literature, these limitations are also highlighted.

Key words:

• jerk nystagmus
• nystagmus
• pendular nystagmus
• saccadic oscillations