Effect of environmental lighting on oculomotor tests results: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Background: Oculomotor tests (saccade, smooth pursuit and optokinetic test) are routinely used in clinical evaluations of the central vestibular system. There is no clear information about the lighting (light or dark) of the environment in which oculomotor tests are performed.

Objectives: To determine optimum environment lighting by comparing oculomotor test results in bright and dark environments in healthy adults.

Materials and methods: The study included 31 healthy adults aged between 18 and 30 without hearing or balance complaints. The participants were administered the Oculomotor tests in light and dark environments. Velocity, accuracy, and latency were compared in the saccade test, gain and asymmetry in the smooth pursuit test, and gain values in the optokinetic test.

Results: The study found no statistically significant differences between light and dark environments in saccade, smooth pursuit, and optokinetic test (p> 0.05). However, the latency value determined, especially in the saccade test, was prolonged in the dark environment.

Conclusions and significance: The minimal differences between the two environments obtained as a result of the study may lead to false negative results in patients with suspected central vestibular system pathology, making differential diagnosis difficult.