Monocular nystagmus caused by unilateral anterior visual-pathway disease.

The authors examined five young children with monocular vision loss who developed monocular nystagmus. The nystagmus was of fast frequency and small amplitude in all fields of gaze. In four children, successful treatment of the cause of the vision loss resulted in cessation of the nystagmus. No child showed signs of spasmus nutans, or of optic nerve or chiasmal tumor. The evaluation of the young child with unilateral nystagmus should begin with a careful eye examination.