Eye Movement Recording

The eye movement recording test gives important information in the diagnosis and treatment of nystagmus (nigh-STAG-muss). Nystagmus is an eye problem which causes the eyes to make involuntary (unintentional) movements or “wiggle.” It usually affects both eyes and often is more visible when the eyes are looking in a particular direction. Nystagmus can cause vision problems and often occurs with strabismus (stra-BIZZ-muss), which is misaligned eyes, and amblyopia (am-blee-OH-pee-uh), sometimes called “lazy eye.”

About 90 percent of all cases are infantile nystagmus, meaning that the child develops the condition in the first few months of life. The other 10 percent of cases are acquired nystagmus, meaning that it was caused by something else, such as a brain injury or tumor.

The eye movement recording test takes measurements of the eye to determine what position causes the nystagmus to get better or worse; what distances cause the nystagmus to get better or worse; and whether the nystagmus changes with direction or intensity over time. The ophthalmologist also can observe a child’s head position as he or she wears the goggles. A child will naturally adjust his or her head to improve vision. All of this information is important in treating nystagmus, especially if a surgical approach to improving a child’s vision is needed.

No special preparation is needed before the eye movement recording test.

This test is done in a special room in the doctor’s office at the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children’s. 

• Your child might be asked to put on a pair of special “goggles,” similar to swim goggles, to begin the test. You might explain to your child that these special goggles are funny looking but will not hurt.
• If your child is old enough to understand verbal directions, your child will be asked to follow a red dot on a screen. The doctor will need to do three different tests with the dot to take special measurements. Each test looks for a specific type of nystagmus and each will take about 5 to 10 minutes. You might explain to your child that following the red dot with his or her eyes is like a game to see how quickly the red dot can be spotted on the screen using the funny goggles.
• If your child is too young to understand directions, you will be able to hold your child on your lap while he or she is wearing the goggles. With some help from the ophthalmology staff, your child will be able to start tracking the red dot on his or her own during the test. 
• When the doctor has taken all the needed measurements, the goggles will be removed and the test will be over.
• If your child does not use the goggles, his or her eye movements will be recorded through the use of a special digital camera. The camera does not touch your child at all, but will record the movement of your child’s eyes while he or she looks at the moving red dot.
• The doctor may need some time to review the results of the test. After reviewing the results, the doctor will discuss them with you and plan the treatment of your child’s nystagmus. 
• The doctor may recommend corrective lenses, surgery, adaptive techniques, or a combination to treat your child’s nystagmus, depending on your child’s specific condition. 

If your child has any special needs or health issues you feel the doctor needs to know about, please call the Division of Ophthalmology at Children’s before the appointment and ask to speak with a nurse. It is important to notify us in advance about any special needs your child might have.