eyes moving side to side very rapidly for a split second

[kpuzzlerss]

My question...

My doctor and 2 opthamologists I see, both tell me they have never heard of my eye symptom I will describe, which just makes me even more concerned about it.

This used to happen only a few times a week, but now happens everyday a few times usually.

If my eyes are focused on 1 word when I read something or if my eyes are focused on the tip of a pen when I am writing, in my field of vision my eyes will do what I am terming "a jitter."  Seems to happen more so when I am writing.

It happens in an instant, but both eyes will very rapidly move from side to side, maybe 5 or 6 times in a row.  Not sure if it is indeed the eyes themselves or just what I see.  Sometimes I will even shake it off after it did it, with my head.  This whole thing lasts maybe a split second.  And no one I have every described this to has ever had it or heard of it either.

So I'm wondering if this is a sign of something coming on... a tumor, more serious eyes problems such as blindness in the future, etc?  I do have chronic dry eye, but flaxseed oil has improved that tremendously, so it barely bothers me anymore.

[chewalla]

I've had the same thing happening for as long as I can remember also.  I've been diagnosed with a seizure disorder.  I don't feel like its related to that but I have been told it was by my neurologist that it could be. Ive also done research on this where people had no sign of seizures in their medical history at all but are experiencing these same things.   Not only does it happen while Im concentrating on something close as well as far away, it also happens a lot while Im trying to go to sleep.  Its become more and more frequent through the years. To now its happening almost everyday and somedays more often then others and now headaches r starting to accompany them directly as its happening.  Last night while I was trying to fall asleep my eyes started darting back and forth and instantly started getting a headache. Some of mine tend to last a lil longer then a few sec.   Id love to be able to find out what this is!

[Ben1986ben]

http://www.eyehealthweb.com/nystagmus/

[JohnHaganMD]

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[heyyyyo95]

It's likely due to something called Nystagmus. I've been having it for years after a head injury and apparently it's one of the most common affects after head injury. I'm seeing a functional Neurologist that's treating it and it's extremely helpful. I think it can also be be from a medication side effect in some people. It can flare up when tired and trying to focus or looking at certain angles for long periods of time and straining your eyes. Look up Nystagmus or ask a doctor

[JohnHaganMD]

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[Jsterrantino]

I thought nystagmus was slower and had a wider swing, as it were.  Is that not true?

[Jsterrantino]

I have been trying to figure this out for years!  This is the first time I ever heard of anyone else with it!  I've had it my whole life.  It was in the last couple of years that I found out that not everyone experiences it.  My opthamologist had never heard of it. I'm 44 now and am noticing it happening more often.  I will see a neurologist in Oct for
something not related; I'll make a note to ask him about this.

[JohnHaganMD]

Let us know what he/she says. See if its a type of nystagmus.

[Tiredmomof3asd]

Did anyone ever find out anything? I get this too. I'm 42, no other issues that I'm aware of.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[EH1000]

I’ve had the same thing for years! What is it?  It happens spontaneosly, normally when reading, and my eye doctor couldn’t trigger it so he wouldn’t comment on it. It started when I was 17 or so, and has been happening pretty frequently, a few times a day at least, 20 years later.

[JohnHaganMD]

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