Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS)

What Is the VOMS Test?

VOMS is a tool designed by the experts at UPMC to detect signs and symptoms of a concussion.

It stands for vestibular ocular motor screening and looks at the systems in charge of integrating balance, vision, and movement.

The VOMS test needs little equipment — just a tape measure and a metronome. But research shows it's 90% accurate in diagnosing people with concussion.

It's a reliable and consistent tool for concussion diagnosis when combined with:

• A clinical interview.
• Symptom assessment.
• Computerized neurocognitive testing.

How Does the VOMS Test Work?

The screening tests for five areas of vestibular (balance) and ocular (vision) motor impairment:

• Smooth pursuits
• Rapid eye movements
• Near point of convergence
• Balance vision reflex
• Visual motion sensitivity

The VOMS test takes 5 to 10 minutes and may help us detect problems that other tests, like the following, don't always find:

• Sideline Assessment of Concussion (SAC)
• Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-3 (SCAT-3)
• The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS)

Once thought useful in diagnosing concussion, these tests focus just on balance, potentially missing vital issues.

Pinpointing balance and vision motor problems early can help us treat people sooner.

Used with other measures, VOMS helps identify concussion so we can design the best course of treatment.

Why Choose the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program for VOMS Testing?

The experts at UPMC developed and use the evidence-based VOMS test.

Our research found that:

• Vision issues, fogginess, and dizziness are often symptoms linked to a prolonged recovery after concussion.
• The vestibular ocular system is the most accurate predictor of long-term outcomes from sports-related concussions.

The VOMS isolates and properly assesses these areas to help us better manage concussions.

Contact the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program

To make an appointment with one of our concussion doctors, call 412-432-3681