Caloric Nystagmus

Caloric nystagmus is the involuntary and rapid movement of the eyeballs due to caloric stimulation or ear irrigation (with hot or cold water) in the ears. In this context, “calorie” is a unit of heat and the temperature change in the inner ear causes certain eye reflexes. For instance, rapid side-to-side eye movements (nystagmus) occur when cold water is inserted into the ear canal.