Ocular torsional movements in normal humans.

We conducted three studies of compensatory ocular torsional movements in normal human subjects, using changes in the axis of astigmatism, afterimages, and direct observation with cinematography. Measurements of changes in the axis of astigmatism and the subjects' subjective perception of afterimages with a superimposed Maddox rod showed a partial compensatory intorsion on head tilt to the ipsilateral side and extorsion on head tilt to the contralateral side. Cinematography demonstrated that the eye lags behind the head in a slow rolling movement as the head is tilted. Periodic rotary movements in the direction of the head tilt partially correct the lag and result in a partial compensatory torsion. A fourth experiment excluded false torsion as an artifact in these studies.