Videonystagmography is a non-invasive test that uses special glasses to measure involuntary eye movements, helping doctors diagnose balance disorders or vertigo. The test is done in four parts, including measuring eye mobility, optokinetic nystagmus, positional nystagmus, and the calorie test. The use of glasses has made videonystagmography the preferred test over electronystagmography.
Videonystagmography is a collection of testing procedures that use the measurement of involuntary eye movements to diagnose certain balance disorders or vertigo. The test uses a special set of glasses that measure a patient’s eye movements when certain stimuli are applied, such as a change in head position or the circulation of fluid through a tube inserted into the ear canal. After a series of tests using the glasses is completed, a doctor can determine whether the cause of the complaint is the inner ear or some other physiological problem, such as a brain disorder or low blood pressure.
The use of glasses in videonystagmography has led to its widespread preference over electronystagmography. While both tests achieve roughly the same end, electronystagmography requires a number of electrodes to be inserted into the muscles surrounding the eyes to measure their movement. Videonystagmography, on the other hand, uses a special set of glasses, which contain a series of infrared cameras that measure the same movements to a greater degree of accuracy. Because of the noninvasive nature of the glasses, patients feel more comfortable during the test and are less likely to make involuntary eye movements in response to discomfort caused by the electrodes. The combination of higher accuracy and fewer false eye movements has made videonystagmography the best and preferred test.
A videonystagmography test is done in four parts. The first part of the test, eye mobility, is designed to measure a patient’s voluntary ability to move their eyes. The patient will be asked to perform certain eye movements, such as moving them smoothly and slowly or jumping quickly from one spot to another. The patient will also be asked to track a target with their eyes while maneuvering in specific patterns at specific speeds. By measuring eye movements in this way, doctors can determine whether the nerves and brain are functioning properly.
In the second test, optokinetic nystagmus, the patient will be asked to follow a large moving image with their eyes. While similar to the eye mobility test, this test is much more refined. The optokinetic nystagmus test is used to ensure that the central nervous system is functioning properly in relation to eye movement.
The third test that will be performed during a videonystagmography is the positional nystagmus test. During this test, the doctor or a technician will move the patient’s head to different positions while measuring involuntary eye movement with the goggles. As the head is moved, any abnormal movement of fluid in the semicircular canals of the inner ear, the organs used to create a sense of balance in humans, will cause the eyes to automatically attempt to readjust abnormally. If the test comes back positive, it shows that tiny crystals in the semicircular canal fluid are causing the problem with balance or dizziness.
The calorie test is the final part of the videonystagmography test. During this test, small tubes are inserted into the right and left ear canals, one at a time. Alternatingly hot and cold fluid is circulated through the tubes, which stimulates the inner ear. By measuring automatic eye movement in response to fluid and at different temperatures, this test can ensure that the eyes are responding correctly to stimuli or detect if there is an interconnection problem between the ears and the eyes, which would manifest itself as dizziness or the inability to maintain balance.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
