oscillopsia

   Also known as bouncing vision. The term oscil-lopsia comes from the Latin verb oscillare (to rock, to swing) and the Greek verb opsis (seeing). It is used to denote a visual distortion in which the extracorporeal environment as a whole appears to oscillate. Depending on the amplitude of the oscillation, it may present as a mild blurring of vision or as an instable, jerky type of vision in which the extracorporeal environment would seem to swing, to move back and forth, or to wiggle. Vertical oscillopsia is characterized by oscillations in the vertical plane co-occurring with up- and downward movement of the head (as in locomotion) or with vertical nystagmus. Two other types of oscillopsia, i.e. horizontal and rotational oscillopsia, are associated primarily with nystagmus. The occurrence of oscillopsia is normally prevented by central cancellation, a process in which the vestibulo-ocular response plays an important role. Pathophysio-logically, oscillopsia is attributed to 'retinal slip', i.e. an excessive slip of images on the retina, due to failure of the vestibulo-ocular response, as may occur in the context of conditions such as superior canal dehiscence syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and intoxication with gentamicin. Oscillopsia affects the whole field of vision and should not be confused with the "autokinetic effect.

   References

   Deutschländer, A., Strupp, M., Jahn, K., Jäger, L., Quiring, F., Brandt, T. (2004). Vertical oscillopsia in bilateral superior canal dehis-cence syndrome. Neurology, 62, 784-787. Rushton, D., Cox, N. (1987). A new optical treatment for oscillopsia. Journal ofNeurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 50, 411-415.