Assessing Eye Movements

Assessing eye movements should be a regular part of every therapist’s evaluation process. We get 75% of the information about our environment from vision and vision affects things like reading, handwriting, and balance.

Before starting this evaluation, ask about the patients most recent eye exam. A patient not in the best corrected visual acuity may have difficult time fixating and therefore show poor ocular motor skills. Every child needs a complete

Nystagmus

An involuntary movement of the eyes called nystagmus. These are described as a congenital or acquired nystagmus and further described as jerky (faster in one direction than the other) or pendular (same speed in each direction).

Congenital Nystagmus