The are many medical conditions associated with nystagmus. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health or NIH, nystagmus is the rapid, involuntary movement of a person's eyes from side to side, up and down or in a circular pattern. The NIH states that these rapid eye movements may occur in one or both eyes, depending on the cause. Nystagmus is categorized as one of two types: congenital or acquired.
Purulent Labyrinthitis
Purulent labyrinthitis is a condition that may be associated with nystagmus. According to the Merck Manuals website, purulent or pus-forming labyrinthitis is a bacterial infection of a person's inner ear that's often characterized by deafness and decreased vestibular function. Purulent labyrinthitis manifests when bacteria invade the ear during a bout of acute otitis media or purulent meningitis or with cholesteatoma--a destructive and expanding growth in the middle ear--that's growing in size. Common symptoms associated with purulent labyrinthitis include the following: severe vertigo, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, pain, fever and nystagmus. The University of Minnesota's Paparella Otopathology Laboratory notes that purulent labyrinthitis-related nystagmus usually occurs toward the unaffected ear side and that permanent hearing loss is likely.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a condition that may be associated with nystagmus. The Mult-Sclerosis.org website states that nystagmus can be caused by numerous underlying conditions, including multiple sclerosis, of which nystagmus is a common symptom. Acquired pendular nystagmus is a type of nystagmus that's closely linked with multiple sclerosis. According to the Mult-Sclerosis.org website, multiple sclerosis-related nystagmus may be associated with internuclear ophthalmoplegia, which is loss of eye coordination caused by a brain lesion in the medial longitudinal fasciculus--a group of nerve axons located adjacent to the brainstem. The NIH notes that any disease of the brain, including multiple sclerosis, can cause nystagmus if the parts of the brain controlling eye movements are affected. The Mult-Sclerosis.org website states that, other than immunomodulating drugs and steroids, treatments for nystagmus are limited.
Meniere's Disease
Meniere's disease is a condition that may be associated with nystagmus. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders or NIDCD--a division of the National Institutes of Health--a person with Meniere's disease will experience nystagmus during caloric testing--a procedure testing the vestibular or balance system that involves ear irrigation with both warm and cool water or air. The NIDCD states that Meniere's disease symptoms can develop suddenly and that symptoms can occur daily or as infrequently as once per year. Common signs and symptoms associated with Meniere's disease include vertigo, nausea, vomiting, sweating, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, hearing loss and a sensation of ear fullness. According to the NIDCD, there is no cure for Meniere's disease, although symptoms can be controlled by dietary changes, such as reducing sodium, avoiding caffeine and alcohol or certain medications.
