Nystagmus surgery
Reviewed by Fiona Rowe

This study used a questionnaire-based assessment of the qualitative experience of adults and parents of children who had 4-muscle tenotomy surgery for nystagmus. Pre and postoperative video recordings and visual acuity measurements were used to objectively assess the physical effect of surgery and then the questionnaire was used to compare objective results to the experiences of patients and families. This study included 15 patients (53% male aged three to 77 years) with congenital / infantile nystagmus or acquired nystagmus (albinism or other visual sensory disorder) without abnormal head posture or co-existent strabismus. Postoperative examinations were at one week and six to eight weeks. Ninety-three percent showed significant improvement in visual acuity in either eye – mean logMAR of 0.12 (SD 0.18). There was no case of induced strabismus. Video recordings of ocular motility showed significant reduction in nystagmus intensity. Subjective perception of vision and depth perception improved significantly.

Clinical evaluation of 4-muscle tenotomy surgery for nystagmus.
Dubner M, Nelson LB, Gunton KB, et al.
JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC OPHTHALMOLOGY AND STRABISMUS
2016;53(1):16-21.