Eye problems often associated with Self Injurous Behaviour
- Eye problems
- The primary eye problems associated with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome include the absence or reduction of tears, blocking of the tear duct and potential abnormalities of the eye that cause impaired vision. In many people who have intellectual disabilities discomfort, irritation or pain in the eye will lead to eye pressing, poking or rubbing. Additionally, if vision is impaired by damage to the eye but the optic tract (the nerve fibres that carry signals from the eye) is intact and the occipital lobe (this is the part of the brain that receives and interprets signals from the eye) is functioning normally, then this can lead to eye pressing or poking. The reason for this is that if no light can stimulate the nerves in the back of the eye then physical stimulation of these nerves by pressing or poking leads to bright flashes of light and light patterns. In the absence of any other stimulation this can be rewarding and cause the behaviour to occur again in the future (see Chapter 5). Another reason for pressing or poking the eye is that this can lead to the shape of the eye being temporarily changed and consequently focus is improved.
Source:
on behalf of the Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation, published on 20 Jun 2003
Last modified by Gerritjan Koekkoek on 2023/07/14 09:11
Created by Gerritjan Koekkoek on 2021/05/23 19:50
