Hippus

With hippus ( Greek hippos, " horse" - Synonym: jumping pupil) is in ophthalmology a rare, sometimes pronounced restlessness of the pupil referred to, which is expressed in a rhythmic expansion or contraction. This can be both physiologically and pathologically conditioned. The causes are not yet known.

In principle, the constrictions or expansions occur in both eyes at the same time, very sudden and pronounced on, regardless of lighting conditions or normal pupillary responses such as the Konvergenzmiosis. You can thereby be associated with various diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, meningitis, myasthenia gravis or in epileptic seizures.

From a hippus the jumping pupil is distinguished, whose symptoms of one -handed version is very similar, although, as a significant character but a quick change of pupil difference between the right and left eye, and frequently has a slight mydriasis. Sometimes the phenomenon is also only one-sided. In these cases it is assumed as the predominant cause a short spasm of the sphincter muscle of the pupil as an expression of a congenital paralysis of the oculomotor nerve ( third cranial nerve palsy ), which occurs periodically and even in her sleep.