congenital nystagmus in an 18 year old

[ann4124]

My 18 year old daughter has congenital nystagmus secondary to optic nerve hypoplasia. Her last visual acuity was 20/50 20 40 with 20/40 both eyes. She got a driver's licenses with her visual exam provided by her pediatric opthalmolgist. Currently we have discovered that visual handicaps are diagnosis that might allow extra time for standardized testing for college entrance exams. Do you have any experience with this and should the focus be on visual acutiy or on the dx of the nystagmus itself with all of its inherit problems?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

Actually your daughter has good vision for congential nystagmus and much to be thankful for.  With that level of vision she should be able to most college work without any special being done. If she was a good student in high school there is every reason to believe she will do well in college.

JCH MD