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<\/p>\nUNC Ophthalmology pauses this week to recognize International Nystagmus Day, which occurs annually on June 20th. This day of awareness focuses on a lesser-known ophthalmic disorder that affects millions of people worldwide and has no known permanent cure. Nystagmus causes the eyes to make rapid, repetitive, and uncontrolled movements and usually happens in both eyes.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Congenital nystagmus<\/strong> affects children from birth typically starts between 6 weeks and 3 months. This form of nystagmus cannot be cured via corrective measures, but glasses or contact lenses help slow eye movements for a child to have clearer vision. Rarely, surgery may be done to reposition a patient\u2019s eye muscles to keep their head in a more comfortable position and limit eye movement. Early-stage diagnosis of nystagmus by an eye specialist is critical to assess what can optically be done to optimize a child\u2019s vision and quality of life.<\/p>\n