The information contained within this page is for informational and educational purposes ONLY.  The information here is NOT intended for diagnositc purposes.  Please consult with a health care professional for a diagnosis. 

Nystagmus is the involvuntary movement of the eyes, usually in a horizontal motion.  There is no known cause for nystagmus.  There is no cure for it.  But there are some things being tried to control it.

I was diagnosed with nystagmus not too long after I was born.  I was diagnosed with rotary nystagmus.  As I mentioned in the previous page, I have myopia and astigmatism in addition to nystagmus.

A few years ago, I read in my medical records that there was a great deal of concern about my vision.  In fact, I was legally blind.  I couldn't see the Christmas lights across the street or whenever we drove around to look at lights before I was three years old.  When I was three years old, I started attending a preschool for children with visual impairments.  The part of the brain that tells the eyes what to see was underdeveloped.  When I started preschool, I was taught how to see with my eyes.  By Christmas 1967, I could see the house across the street.

When I was seven years old, I got my first pair of glasses.  I wore my glasses for school so I could see what was written on the chalkboard.

When I was around sixteen years old, I started wearing glasses fulltime.  I had problems reading overheads and chalkboards.

I took driver's education during the fall semester of my sophomore year in high school.  I took book the written and vision tests.  (Please don't ask me how I passed LOL) for my driver's license.  But I never went to take the driving part of the exam.  The last time I drove a car was in December 1980.  I had trouble judging distance.

While I was in college, I had notetakers to help me with notes from my classes.  That helped especially if the instructor used a chalkboard or overhead.

Today my vision is 20/50 in my right eye and 20/70 in my left eye with correction.

I don't drive.  My family or friends take me to the places where I need to go.  I sometimes take public transportation to get where I am going.  I like the independence of using public transportation.  I am pretty good at getting around the city on it.

I have trouble seeing objects far away.  I also have trouble judging distances. I have never participated in sports competitively.

My vision does not stop me from spending hours on my computer each day or reading books, newspapers, and magazines.  I am an avid reader, by the way.

To find more specific information and links about nystagmus, please visit one of the websites listed below: