Does ocular counter-rolling of both eyes have the same influence on subjective visual vertical during a head tilt at small angles?

Introduction:

Ocular counter-rolling (OCR) during head tilt at small angles is a physiological regulation to stabilize the visual field. The aim of the present study was to investigate and analyze the possible dependence of the subjective visual vertical (SVV) on the OCR of both eyes.

Methods:

Fundus photography and mobile SVV gauging device were used to examine and measure the eye torsion and the subjective visual vertical of 15 neurologically healthy young subjects during head tilt at 10 ° and 20 °. The correlation of the angle of the SVV with the angle of eye torsion of each eyes was analyzed by means of Pearson correlation.

Results:

During head tilting at a small angle, both eyes did not rotate evenly, but about 1.5 ° difference in OCR between both eyes was found. There is no significant correlation between the angle of SVV and OCR of the counter-tilt side during head tilt to the left (r2 = 0.09, p > 0.05) and to the right (r2 = 0.12, p > 0.05). However, there was a significant positive correlation between the angle of SVV and OCR of the tilt-side eye during head tilt to the left (r2 = 0.36, p < 0.001) and to the right (r2 = 0.34, p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The tilt-side eye rolls more than the other eye and has a predominant influence on the subjective visual vertical during head tilt at small angles.

Publication History

Publication Date:
18 April 2018 (online)