Eye movement

Eye movement refers to the voluntary or involuntary movement of the eyes, helping in acquiring, fixating and tracking visual stimuli. It is important in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and ophthalmology.

Types of Eye Movements

There are four types of eye movements: saccades, smooth pursuit, vestibulo-ocular reflexes, and vergence movements.

Saccades

Saccades are quick, simultaneous movements of both eyes in the same direction. They are the fastest movements produced by the human body.

Smooth Pursuit

Smooth pursuit movements are much slower tracking movements of the eyes designed to keep a moving stimulus on the fovea.

Vestibulo-ocular Reflexes

Vestibulo-ocular reflexes are a compensatory eye movement which stabilizes images on the retina during head movement.

Vergence Movements

Vergence movements are those eye movements that shift gaze direction.

Control of Eye Movements

The control of eye movement involves areas of the brain as diverse as the frontal cortex, brainstem, and cerebellum. It is not fully understood how these systems work together to control eye movement.

Clinical Significance

Abnormal eye movements can lead to a variety of disorders, including strabismus, amblyopia, and paralysis of the cranial nerves. These disorders can lead to significant visual impairment.

See Also

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Ophthalmology
• Saccades
• Smooth pursuit
• Vestibulo-ocular reflexes
• Vergence movements

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