Which of the following is a recognized clue in the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test?

Which of the following is a recognized clue in the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test?

• A. Lack of smooth pursuit
• B. Rapid pupil dilation
• C. Inability to strafe the eyes
• D. Hearing dysfunction

Answer: (A)

In the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, the eye movements are checked for how smoothly the eyes can follow a moving target. A recognized clue is lack of smooth pursuit, meaning the eyes don’t glide smoothly as the target moves side to side but instead jerk. This jerking is the nystagmus the test looks for and can indicate impairment. The other options don’t reflect what this test measures: rapid pupil dilation isn’t part of the eye-tracking signs in HGN, inability to strafe the eyes isn’t a standard description of the movement being assessed, and hearing dysfunction isn’t related to the ocular test.

In the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, the eye movements are checked for how smoothly the eyes can follow a moving target. A recognized clue is lack of smooth pursuit, meaning the eyes don’t glide smoothly as the target moves side to side but instead jerk. This jerking is the nystagmus the test looks for and can indicate impairment. The other options don’t reflect what this test measures: rapid pupil dilation isn’t part of the eye-tracking signs in HGN, inability to strafe the eyes isn’t a standard description of the movement being assessed, and hearing dysfunction isn’t related to the ocular test.