The system compares the velocity of each brief head movement with the velocity of the resulting eye movement. This relationship reflects how effectively the vestibulo-ocular reflex stabilizes vision while the head moves. By recording both signals during unpredictable impulses, clinicians obtain an objective measure of vestibular performance rather than relying only on reported symptoms.
Reduced vestibulo-ocular reflex gain means that eye movement does not adequately match head movement. Corrective saccades are compensatory eye movements that may appear when visual stability is disrupted. Together, these findings can indicate impaired vestibular function and help clinicians recognize abnormal responses during assessment of patients with dizziness, vertigo, or suspected peripheral vestibular disorders.
The semicircular canals contribute to vestibular responses during head movement, so examining their function helps identify canal-related abnormalities. Because the test provides information about canal performance, it can add objective evidence when peripheral vestibular dysfunction is suspected. This canal-specific information supports clinical evaluation without replacing the broader assessment of balance and vestibular symptoms.
A clinician delivers brief, unpredictable head impulses while a video camera records the patient's eye movements. The system simultaneously evaluates the relationship between eye and head velocities, allowing the response to be examined during rapid movement. Its noninvasive format and rapid collection of objective information make the procedure suitable for clinical vestibular assessment.
Clinicians may use the test when dizziness, vertigo, or a suspected peripheral vestibular disorder requires objective evaluation. Because it focuses on vestibulo-ocular reflex and semicircular-canal function, it can complement other balance assessments rather than provide the entire clinical picture alone. Combining findings helps place canal responses within the patient's broader vestibular evaluation.
The results can contribute to diagnosing vestibular disease by showing reduced vestibulo-ocular reflex gain or corrective saccades associated with impaired function. Clinicians can also use the objective canal-function information to support treatment planning and monitor vestibular disease over time. Its rapid measurements make it useful both during initial evaluation and during subsequent clinical review.