Are smooth pursuit eye movements altered in chronic whiplash-associated disorders?
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether smooth pursuit eye movements differed between patients with long-lasting whiplash-associated disorders and controls when using a purely computerized method for the eye movement analysis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study comparing patients with whiplash-associated disorders and controls who had not been exposed to head or neck trauma and had no notable neck complaints. METHODS: Smooth pursuit eye movements were registered while the subjects were seated with and without rotated cervical spine. SUBJECTS: Thirty-four patients with whiplash-associated disorders with symptoms more than six months after a car collision and 60 controls. RESULTS: Smooth pursuit eye movements were almost identical in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders and controls, both when the neck was rotated and in the neutral position. CONCLUSION: Disturbed smooth pursuit eye movements do not appear to be a distinct feature in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders.
