Erratic eye movement, or nystagmus, is involuntary and can be congenital or acquired. Symptoms can appear in infants as young as 6 weeks, reports the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Treatment options depend on the type of nystagmus and its source. Some nystagmus is related to other medical conditions.
Color Blindness
Severe color blindness, or achromatopsia, is a condition in which the ability to distinguish any color is absent. Causes of color blindness include genetics and the medication hydroxychloroquine, sold as Plaquenil. Approximately one in 10 men are color blind to some degree compared with only a few women, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Possible symptoms of color blindness include difficulty distinguishing the various shades of some colors, rapid side-to-side eye movements, light sensitivity and poor vision. With no treatment for color blindness, it is a lifelong condition.
Strabismus
Strabismus, a disorder in which the eyes do not line up in the same direction, is better known as "crossed eyes," reports MedlinePlus. Other possible symptoms include double vision, uncoordinated eye movements and loss of depth perception. Of the children diagnosed with strabismus, more than half are born with the disorder, or congenital strabismus.
Possible causes of strabismus in adults include Guillain-Barre syndrome, stroke, traumatic brain injury, diabetes and eye injuries. Treatment options depend on the cause and may include eye muscle exercises, wearing glasses or an eye patch, and surgery.
Vertigo
Vertigo is a type of dizziness that can be caused by problems originating in the brain or the inner ear. Some of the disorders that affect the brain include a decreased blood supply, which causes a transient ischemic attack or a stroke, head injury, seizure, multiple sclerosis, migraines, or tumors in or near the base of the brain, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library.
Disorders of the inner ear that can cause vertigo include Meniere's disease and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, which is an abnormal collection of calcium particles in the inner ear. Possible symptoms of vertigo include nystagmus and nausea. Treatment of vertigo depends on the type and source and may include medications for nausea and for motion sickness.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The changes and complications for a baby born with fetal alcohol syndrome, or FAS, depend on the amount, timing and frequency of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Possible eye complications for infants with FAS include poor vision, crossed eyes, optic nerve hypoplasia and erratic eye movements, reports the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Possible treatments for eye conditions related to FAS include glasses to correct visual deficit and surgery for strabismus. No specific treatment for optic nerve hypoplasia exists.
References
- American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus: Erratic Eye Movement
- University of Maryland Medical Center: How Common Is Color Blindness?
- MedlinePlus: What Is Strabismus?
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: What Causes Vertigo?
- American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus: Eye Complications With Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
