Br J Ophthalmol 1998;82:1026-1032 ( September )
Nystagmus in periventricular leucomalacia
Lena Jacobson,a b
Jan Ygge,a
Olof Flodmarkc
a Department of Ophthalmology, Karolinska Institute,
Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, b Tomteboda School Resource Center, Stockholm,
Sweden, c Department of Neuroradiology,
Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Correspondence to: Dr L Jacobson,
Department of Ophthalmology, Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
Accepted for publication 11 March 1998
BACKGROUND/AIMS
Periventricular leucomalacia
(PVL) is a lesion in the immature brain involving the optic radiation.
Children with PVL have visual problems including crowding, visual field
defects, strabismus, and visual perceptual/cognitive deficits, together
with nystagmus. They often have optic nerve hypoplasia seen either as
small discs or as large cupping of normal sized optic discs. This study
aimed to perform eye movement recordings in a group of children with PVL in order to characterise and classify the nystagmus.
METHODS19 children with PVL on cerebral imaging
underwent eye movement recordings with the Ober-2 infrared reflection technique.
RESULTS16 of the 19 subjects had horizontal nystagmus.
CONCLUSIONThe present study shows that nystagmus
is commonly seen in children with PVL.
Keywords:
nystagmus;
periventricular leucomalacia;
visual
impairment;
cerebral imaging;
eye movement;
infrared reflection
technique
© 1998 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
