Infrared Video-Oculography Goggles
At FYZICAL West Caldwell we have a unique tool available to help with diagnosis and treatment of vestibular conditions, the Infrared Video-Oculography Goggles. Used in conjunction with common assessments such as the Dix-Hallpike or Supine Roll Test the IVOG allows us to record not only the eye movements but also the room to see what we and the patient were doing when those eye movements were stimulated, to help identify abnormal movements like nystagmus.
What is the benefit of testing using Infrared Video-Oculography Goggles (IVOG)?
The use of Infrared Video-Oculography Goggles to record patient eye movements during testing for vestibular disorders helps improve accuracy of diagnosis and treatment. For example, Benign Paroxymal Positional Vertigo may be suppressed in room light, leading to missed diagnosis. Removing fixation under IVOG can also help in situations where patients have chronic BPPV and have habituated to their nystagmus, making it difficult to diagnose. Spontaneous nystagmus may also be missed when not using IVOG as it may only occur with fixation removed. The recordings produced also improve accuracy as the clinician can review them to confirm not only if nystagmus was present but also the direction and intensity compared side to side. Observing the eyes under goggles during treatment can also provide insights for the treating clinician. Central nervous system disorders may present with gaze evoked, direction changing nystagmus, which is more easily seen without fixation. Additionally, some tests for various conditions may only be done without fixation, or may involve positioning that makes it difficult for the clinician to observe the eyes throughout the test, leading to missed signs or and inability to identify the correct diagnosis.
Another area where the use of IVOG can be helpful is patient education and buy in. Seeing nystagmus on the video combined with education about the vestibular system can help validate the patient's experience of dizziness or vertigo, while seeing normal eye movements can help educate the patient that their dizziness is less likely a vestibular concern. Helping patients to understand what is causing their symptoms can help them tolerate treatment better, especially when the treatment will make them feel worse before they feel better.
Do you have a patient who might benefit from vestibular testing with IVOG? Give us a call at (862) 348-5200 and we will help you help your patient resolve their vertigo or dizziness.