What is the 1st clue for impairment?

What is the 1st clue for impairment?

• A. Lack of smooth pursuit
• B. Pupil dilation
• C. Slurred speech
• D. Difficulty balancing

Answer: (A)

Lack of smooth pursuit is the first cue to impairment during eye-tracking in the horizontal gaze test. The eyes should smoothly follow a moving object; when impairment affects ocular motor control, they begin to jerk or lose smooth tracking right away, signaling early CNS impact. Pupil dilation isn’t a reliable early indicator in this test and can be influenced by lighting or other factors. Slurred speech and balancing difficulties are signs that may appear later or are assessed in other tests, but they aren’t the initial clue observed in the eye-tracking portion.

Lack of smooth pursuit is the first cue to impairment during eye-tracking in the horizontal gaze test. The eyes should smoothly follow a moving object; when impairment affects ocular motor control, they begin to jerk or lose smooth tracking right away, signaling early CNS impact. Pupil dilation isn’t a reliable early indicator in this test and can be influenced by lighting or other factors. Slurred speech and balancing difficulties are signs that may appear later or are assessed in other tests, but they aren’t the initial clue observed in the eye-tracking portion.