Johns Hopkins University, Department of Neuroscience
 

 

 

 

David  Zee, M.D.

Professor of Neurology

Telephone Number:   (410) 955-3319

Fax Number:   (410) 614-1746

 

Department of Neurology

Johns Hopkins Hospital

600 N. Wolfe St.

Baltimore, MD 21287

Room: Path 2-210

dzee@dizzy.med.jhu.edu

Regulation of Eye Movements

Disorders of the control of eye movements lead to disabling disturbances of vision and balance. Our research aims to understand better the mechanisms by which ophthalmologic, neurologic and inner ear diseases affect ocular motility.  We apply biochemical engineering techniques to the recording and analysis of eye movements both in patients with neuro-ophthalmologic or vestibular disease and in experimental animals with specific brain lesions.  Our particular emphasis is on the mechanisms that ensure optimal performance of the ocular motor control system. Both the immediate visual and vestibular influences on eye movements and the more long term adaptive processes that permit compensation for disease are investigated. We currently emphasize studying the mechanism by which the brain maintains ocular alignment around all three axes of rotation (horizontal, vertical and torsional) and so prevents diplopia to ensure optimal binocular vision. A second new focus is on the relationship between the molecular biology of ion channels and the genetic and acquired causes of tremor of the limbs as well as oscillations of the eyes. The use of eye movement recordings as neuroophthalmologic diagnostic aids (for example, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis) are also being investigated.



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