[Saccadic eye movements: methodologic aspects and possibilities of clinical use]

Saccades are fast eye movements that occur when the eye makes a refixation movement. Initially clinically relevant physiological and anatomical data are given. The two most frequently used oculographic methods are presented briefly. For clinical use it is particularly important that ocular motor disorders and effects of various drugs are compensated partially by plastic adaptation of central mechanisms. The main diagnostic fields are disorders of brain stem, cerebellum or peripheral oculomotor apparatus. Examination of horizontal and vertical saccades is a useful help in diagnosis of subclinical ocular motor disorders in encephalomyelitis disseminata.