Smooth Pursuit

Smooth Pursuit

Smooth pursuit eye movements allow the eyes to closely follow a moving object. It is one of two ways that visual animals can voluntarily shift gaze, the other being saccadic eye movements. Pursuit differs from the vestibulo-ocular reflex, which only occurs during movements of the head and serves to stabilize gaze on a stationary object. Most people are unable to initiate pursuit without a moving visual signal. The pursuit of targets moving with velocities of greater than 30°/s tend to require catch-up saccades. Smooth pursuit is asymmetric: most humans and primates tend to be better at horizontal than vertical smooth pursuit, as defined by their ability to pursue smoothly without making catch-up saccades. Most humans are also better at downward than upward pursuit. Pursuit is modified by ongoing visual feedback.

Read more about Smooth Pursuit:  Measurement, Neural Circuitry, Stages of Smooth Pursuit, Smooth Pursuit and Spatial Attention, Smooth Pursuit in The Absence of A Visual Target, Distinction Between Smooth Pursuit, Optokinetic Nystagmus, and Ocular Following Response, Smooth-pursuit Deficits

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