Visual Disturbances Caused by Labyrinthine Disease

Abstract

The eye-head coordination during lateral gaze was examined in normal subjects and patients with unilateral and bilateral labyrinthine lesions. Eye movements were recorded by d. c. electro-oculography, and head rotation was measured using a newly devised apparatus equipped with two terrestrial magnetic sensors. This apparatus made it possible to record head rotation without mechanical restraint. From the results thus obtained it was clarified that the illusory motion of the surroundings in unilateral labyrinthine lesion occurs exclusively when the head moves to the involved side, and its direction is opposite to that of the head movement.