Dynamic visual acuity in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

BACKGROUND

Head motions cause transient vertigo in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and may reduce visual ability.

OBJECTIVES

The aim is to investigate the clinical utility of dynamic visual acuity (DVA) test in those patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirty patients, 11 with lateral canal BPPV (6 geotropic and 5 ageotropic), and 19 with posterior canal BPPV, were evaluated with DVA test during rapid horizontal (left and right) and vertical (up and down) head movements. Patients were asked to identify the direction of the letter C, ranging from 1.0 to 0.0 logMAR, while moving their heads. The orientation of the optotype was randomly changed by a computer-generated program. Ten subjects were served as control. Data were analyzed with a one-way ANOVA. p Value <.01 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Patients with LC and PC BPPV had significant DVA loss as compared with control subjects (p < .01). However, no significant difference was found in vDVA between patients with LC and PC BPPV, or in hDVA between ipsilesional and contralesional head rotation in patients with LC or PC BPPV (LC: p = .755, PC: p = .765).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with BPPV may have impaired visual acuity, particularly during acute onset condition. Present study indicated that DVA test was not helpful for differentiation of the pathologic and normal ears.