There are many causes of pathological nystagmus:

– Nystagmus of congenital origin. The eyes move slowly in a horizontal direction and then more quickly in the opposite direction. This nystagmus is accentuated with anxiety, asthenia or during efforts to concentrate and may be associated with strabismus. A torticollis can punctuate the evolution of this nystagmus, the child seeking to make the nystagmus disappear by always turning his head to the same side.

– Toxoplasmosis occurring during pregnancy may be responsible for nystagmus in infants

– Head trauma

– Tumors

– Hydrocephalus (accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain)

– Cataracts and in particular congenital cataracts

– Strabismus (lack of parallelism of the visual axes)

– Albinism (hereditary genetic disease characterized by a defect in melanin production)

– Multiple sclerosis

– Vestibular neuritis which is characterized by violent dizziness with nausea and vomiting

– Miners ‘nystagmus (or coal miners’ nystagmus) is linked to a lack of lighting and the necessary accommodation efforts. The improvement of the lighting conditions of the coal mines allowed the almost complete disappearance of this type of nystagmus.

– Nystagmus due to vitamin B1 deficiency (also called thiamine), a water-soluble vitamin involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates. Among the causes of vitamin B1 deficiency, we find alcoholism, insufficient intake of vitamin B1 (elderly), exclusive parenteral nutrition, food consumption (tea, certain fish).

– Nystagmus due to drug intoxication. Antiepileptic drugs (carbamazepine, phenytoin) are the main drugs incriminated.