Eye Movement Disorders

When you look at an object, you're using several muscles to move both eyes to focus on it. If you have a problem with the muscles, the eyes don't work properly.

There are many kinds of eye movement disorders. Two common ones are

Strabismus - a disorder in which the two eyes don't line up in the same direction. This results in "crossed eyes" or "walleye."
Nystagmus - fast, uncontrollable movements of the eyes, sometimes called "dancing eyes"

Some eye movement disorders are present at birth. Others develop over time and may be associated with other problems, such as injuries. Treatments include glasses, patches, eye muscle exercises, and surgery. There is no cure for some kinds of eye movement disorders, such as most kinds of nystagmus.

Symptoms of Eye Movement Disorders

The following features are indicative of Eye Movement Disorders:

diplopia
nystagmus
poor visual acuity
cosmetic blemish from squint of the eyes
crossed eyes
double vision
eyes that do not aim in the same direction
uncoordinated eye movements
loss of vision or depth perception

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Common Causes of Eye Movement Disorders

The following are the most common causes of Eye Movement Disorders:

maldevelopment
scarring secondary to alignment surgery
muscle diseases
ocular tumor
excess fat behind globe

Other Causes of Eye Movement Disorders

The following are the less common causes of Eye Movement Disorders:

bone fracture
check ligament
botulism
diabetes
Graves disease
Guillain-Barré syndrome
injury to the eye
shellfish poisoning
stroke
traumatic brain injury
vision loss from any eye disease or injury
head injuries
inner ear disorders
stroke
thiamine or vitamin B12 deficiency

Risk Factors for Eye Movement Disorders

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Eye Movement Disorders:

premature birth
cerebral palsy
family history of the condition

Prevention of Eye Movement Disorders

No, it is not possible to prevent Eye Movement Disorders.

genetic mutations in various genes

Occurrence of Eye Movement Disorders

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Eye Movement Disorders cases seen each year worldwide:

Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Eye Movement Disorders can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Eye Movement Disorders can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Eye Movement Disorders

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Eye Movement Disorders:

Hirschberg test: To diagnose strabismus
Retinal birefringence scanning: To check eye misalignments of young children
Caloric reflex test: To diagnose nystagmus
Electronystagmography: To measuring eye movements with external electrodes

Doctor for Diagnosis of Eye Movement Disorders

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Eye Movement Disorders:

Ophthalmologist

Complications of Eye Movement Disorders if untreated

It is not know if Eye Movement Disorders causes complications if left untreated.

Procedures for Treatment of Eye Movement Disorders

The following procedures are used to treat Eye Movement Disorders:

Surgery: To correct the unbalanced eye muscles

Self-care for Eye Movement Disorders

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Eye Movement Disorders:

Exercise regularly: Helps in controlling outward-turning of the eye in some children

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Eye Movement Disorders

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Eye Movement Disorders:

Use eye patches: To improve amblyopia
Wear eye glasses: Lowers the focusing effort and often straighten the eyes

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.

This page provides information for Eye Movement Disorders.