Examination and refractive management of patients with nystagmus

Patients with nystagmus present unique challenges to the ophthalmologist. T hese patients can be difficult to examine and refract. Treatment options to improve vision or reduce disturbing visual symptoms are limited, which is disappointing to the patient and frustrating to the clinician. This paper w ill provide the clinician with one method of clinically organizing nystagmu s, describe the patients who may benefit from optical treatments, and discu ss the methodology used in their implementation. Techniques that will be di scussed include patient examination and objective and subjective refraction . Optical treatments discussed included spectacles, prisms, contact lenses, and retinal image stabilization. (Surv Ophthalmol 45:215-222, 2000. (C) 20 00 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).