Surgical eye realignment may resolve oscillatory head movements in infants

Surgical realignment of the eyes may also simultaneously resolve infantile esotropia, nystagmus and unexplained head shaking or nodding, according to a small retrospective study.

Michael C. Brodsky, MD, and Kenneth W. Wright, MD, reviewed records for three children with infantile esotropia and nystagmus who experienced oscillatory head movements. In all cases, strabismus surgery restored ocular alignment and the children's head shaking resolved.

Head shaking accompanied the recurrence of esotropia in one patient, but was again resolved after additional strabismus surgery, the authors reported.

The study is published in the August issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.