Adduction-Abduction Asymmetry in Saccades During Video-Oculographic Monocular Recording: A Word of Caution

ABSTRACT In eye movement examination, video-oculographic monocular recording has become more popular than electro-oculographic binocular recording. The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of monocular movements recorded using video-oculography. In 66 healthy subjects, the horizontal saccades and smooth pursuit eye movements of the right eye within a range of 30º were evaluated using a video-oculographic eye movement recording system. Saccade latency, velocity, accuracy, and smooth pursuit gain were measured and analysed by age and direction. Saccade parameters (latency, velocity, and amplitude) and smooth pursuit gain deteriorated with age in healthy subjects. Saccade velocity and accuracy were significantly larger during adduction than during abduction. The smooth pursuit gain did not differ between adduction and abduction. In conclusion, unlike smooth pursuit eye movements, saccadic eye movements have adduction-abduction asymmetry. In video-oculographic monocular recording of saccades, it is necessary to recognise the possibility of the existence of adduction-abduction asymmetry.