Eye Movement Patterns

Purpose:
The purpose of this activity is to accurately use the eyes free of head or body movement in all positions of gaze.

Goal:
The goal of this activity is to be able to move the eyes in the full range of all possible movements and positions of gaze without the head or body moving and without losing fixation.

Materials:

• Wand or pencil with the topper as the target
• If the participant wears glasses, these may be taken off for this activity to encourage the full range of movement in the eyes. The wand may be blurry but clarity isn’t necessary for this activity.

Set up:

• The participant will stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms relaxed at their sides, head straight, facing forward.
• The helper will stand a few feet in front, facing the participant. The helper should hold the wand at a comfortable distance from the participant (they should see a single object when pointing their eyes to the wand), approximately 8 inches from the face.

Activity:
Level 1 – Diamonds:

• Move the wand as far to the left as the participant can see the target. Hold the position for five seconds, then move to the right and hold for five seconds, again making sure the head is held straight forward and eyes stay on the target. Move the wand above the nose so the participant must look up without raising their chin, again holding for five seconds. Now move the wand down below the chin to approximately chest level and hold for five seconds.
• Repeat diamonds in various pattern rotations (up/down, right/left or left/down, right/up, etc.) several times per session.

Level 2 – 9 Points:

• After the participant can easily perform diamonds with smooth tracking and without losing fixation on the target, add these points: up to right, up center, up to left, left side (level with eyes), center directly in front of nose, right side (level with eyes), down right, down below chin and down left.
• Repeat 9 points using various rotations, several times per session, at an easy speed. Follow the wand with the eyes only, from start to finish without losing fixation on the target.

Level 3 – Circles/Figure 8’s & To the Nose
Circles/Figure 8’s:

As the helper moves the wand in a circle pattern, the participant follows with eyes, not moving head or body. Helper can make “8” shapes, “S” shapes, or any rounded movement at an even pace (not too slow or too fast). Repeat the patterns several times per session. The helper should also move the wand toward and away from the participant in these rounded motions.

To the Nose:

The helper moves wand from center point (in front of the nose) to the nose as participant follows with eyes. The participant should follow the target to the nose and away from the nose. Always end the movement in the away position. This should only be repeated twice per session.

Observation:
It is the role of the helper to guide, monitor, record, and redirect the participant when necessary if they are not doing the activity in the manner detailed above or if any of the following observations are noted:

• Body balance – Is the participant swaying or do they feel dizzy? Do they lose their balance as they follow the moving target?
• Body position – Does the participant keep feet shoulder-width apart, or do they ‘roll out’ on the edges of their feet, turn feet in or out, or shift weight from one foot to another?
• Eye movements – Are the eye movements jerky? Does the participant lose fixation, shoot ahead, or lag behind the target?
• Midline – As the wand crosses the midline, does the participant fail to follow the target or lose fixation and then find the target again?

Simplified Options:

• If it is difficult to get the participant to follow a wand or pencil topper, try using a penlight, a small flashing light, or a novel object that captures their attention.
• If the participant’s eyes are not following the wand, ask them to touch the top of the wand to encourage their eyes to point to the correct location.
• Lying on the floor or sitting may help make this activity easier. Once they can follow the target while sitting or lying on the floor, move to a standing position.

Challenge Options:

• The participant will move their head slowly from right to left several times while keeping eyes on a stationary target that is at near, then fixate on a target in the distance and repeat.
• Using a mirror, the participant will watch their eyes in the mirror while moving their head up/down and right/left.