Treatment of abnormal eye movements that impair vision: strategies based on current concepts of physiology and pharmacology. Ann Neurol 1994 Aug;36(2):129-41
Date
08/01/1994Pubmed ID
8053648DOI
10.1002/ana.410360204Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0028071571 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 69 CitationsAbstract
Certain abnormal eye movements, especially pathological nystagmus, degrade vision and cause illusory motion of the seen environment. These symptoms are due to excessive movement of images of stationary objects on the retina. Recently, the pathophysiology underlying several types of nystagmus and saccadic oscillations was better defined by the development of animal models and by experimental pharmacological studies. Despite this, few reliable therapies are currently available for these abnormal eye movements. In clinical studies, a number of drugs reportedly helped individual patients, but few drugs have been subjected to double-blind trials. An alternative approach to pharmacological suppression of abnormal eye movements is optical stabilization of images on the retina, which is helpful in selected patients. Weakening of the extraocular muscles, using botulinum toxin or surgery, is prone to cause diplopia and may induce plastic-adaptive changes that render the effect temporary. In some patients, treatment of an underlying condition, such as the Arnold-Chiari malformation, reduces nystagmus and improves vision. There is a need for multicenter trials to evaluate systematically potential treatments of abnormal eye movements that impair vision.
Author List
Leigh RJ, Averbuch-Heller L, Tomsak RL, Remler BF, Yaniglos SS, Dell'Osso LFAuthor
Bernd F. Remler MD Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsClinical Trials as Topic
Double-Blind Method
Eye
Eye Movements
Fixation, Ocular
GABA Antagonists
Haplorhini
Humans
Nystagmus, Pathologic
Vision Disorders
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
