Distinct involuntary eye movements should occur after instillation of warm or cold water into the ear canal.

Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

Abnormal results may be a sign of damage to the nerve of the inner ear or other parts of the brain that control eye movements.

Any disease or injury that damages the acoustic nerve can cause vertigo. This may include:

• Blood vessel disorders with bleeding (hemorrhage), clots, or atherosclerosis of the blood supply of the ear
• Cholesteatoma and other ear tumors
• Congenital disorders
• Injury
• Medications that are toxic to the ear nerves, including aminoglycoside antibiotics, some antimalarial drugs, loop diuretics, and salicylates
• Multiple sclerosis
• Movement disorders such as progressive supranuclear palsy
• Rubella
• Some poisons

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• Acoustic neuroma
• Benign positional vertigo
• Labyrinthitis
• Meniere's disease