Symptoms

Other symptoms besides the eye movements may include:

• Sensitivity to light
• Difficulty seeing in darkness
• Vision problems
• Head held in a turned position
• Oscillopsia (feeling that the world is shaking or moving)
• Dizziness, which can affect balance

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam. If nystagmus seems to be present, you may need:

• Full exam with an ophthalmologist (eye doctor)
• Ear exam, including a hearing test or a dizziness test
• Exam with a neurologist or other medical specialist

Tests may include the following:

• Visual examination of the inside of the eye with an ophthalmoscope
• Vision testing
• Eye movement recordings—to verify the type of nystagmus and determine the details of the movements
• Ear exam
• Neurologic exam
• Computerized tomography (CT) —x-rays of the brain
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) —magnetic and radio waves used to make images of the brain

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

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The ophthalmologist will also look for other eye problems that may be related to the nystagmus, such as strabismus, cataracts , or abnormality of the optic nerves or retina. The ear specialist will look for signs of ear infection, and for worsening of the nystagmus with head positions.