definition:
Nistagmus (jittery eyes) is a nugget characterized by involuntary movements of the eyes – from side to side, from top to bottom or in rotations. Nistagmus usually appears in both eyes, but sometimes only one eye may be damaged. The main reason for nystagmus is a decrease in vision in early childhood for various reasons including albinism, iris deficiency, optic nerve degenerative, or retital disease. Nistagmus originates from hereditary. There are children born with the Phenomenon of Nistagmus. Others develop it at an early age of six to twelve weeks, or at a later stage.
Characteristics of the nstagmus:
• Children with congenital nistagmus are unaware of the constant movement in their vision, because their minds adapt to eye movements.
• Children with nistagmus tend to swing their heads to concentrate, since swinging somewhat compensates for the movements of the eyes.
• In order to achieve optimal vision, and reduce eye movement, children with nistagmus usually tilt their heads in a certain direction – sideways, downward or upward. The "cancellation point" is also able to locate a toddler less than a year old.
• Poor depth perception
Effects of the istagmus:
• Difficulty in making eye contact.
• In many cases – a significant reduction in the quality of vision
• Increased fatigue, due to the additional effort involved in observing.
• There may be a negative effect on equilibrium, due to poor depth perception, which may make it difficult to use stairs or pass on unstable surfaces. Poor depth perception can also make the child slower and more cumbersome than usual.
Treatment:
It is possible to help the child in his early years reach maximum use of his vision by providing many stimuli.
It is recommended to use games that encourage the child to follow a moving object, as well as the use of games that develop hand-eye contact. The child should be allowed to find the most suitable head guide for him. Children with Nistagmus may need more time to identify things. The vision of children with nistagmus can vary throughout the day depending on their emotional state: when fatigue, irritability, or mental stress, the eye movements are more extreme, and the quality of vision is impaired. This impairment cannot be cured, but vision function can be improved through appropriate treatment and for a long time. There is rarely room for improved vision through surgery.