Facts and figures:
For the first time, patients can use the miniature video goggles to capture episodes of vertigo in their home, by recording their own eye-movements through a small camera attached to the outside of a pair of rubber goggles.
Researchers are now able to use these recorded videos to identify eye-movements associated with different conditions.
Around 30% of people experience vertigo, a form of severe dizziness that can result in a loss of balance, a feeling of falling, trouble walking or standing, or nausea.
It is a common reason for visits to the GP or Emergency, particularly in older people, but is treatable in most cases.
Ask the expert:
Associate Professor Miriam Welgampola of Sydney University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health
“Vertigo can be a disabling condition, so an accurate diagnosis is important to effectively treat the underlying disorder,”
“Observing a person’s eye movements during an episode can help make the diagnosis, but people don’t always have an episode when they are at the doctor’s office.”
