Unilateral vertical nystagmus: the Heimann-Bielschowsky phenomenon.

OBJECTIVE

To present clinical feature of Heimann-Bielschowsky phenomenon and strabismus association.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: Medical records of cases between January 2004 and January 2008 were reviewed. Eight cases met the criteria. Age, sex, visual acuity, and eye examination data were collected.

RESULTS

Six cases were male and two cases were female. Age at presentation ranged from 4 to 45 years old. Seven cases had vision of 6/60 or worse. Only one case had visual acuity 6/36. Strabismus was seen in five cases (exotropia 4 cases and esotropia 1 case). No one had symptoms of diplopia or oscillopsia. All cases had unilateral coarse, slow, pendular vertical oscillations occurring in the poor vision eye.

CONCLUSION

Monocular vertical oscillation may develop in an eye with reduced vision. It may be a common condition but under diagnosed.