"She evidently intended this as a joke, although I suspect our combat veterans would not be amused," states AAPS executive director Jane Orient, M.D.
Videos are, however, circulating on the internet, from her rather brief and rare appearances in public, which are purported to show pathological eye movements.
"These are quick, episodic, and inconsistent," states Dr. Orient, who is an internist. "So we decided to ask doctors on our email list to have a look at one of the videos. A helpful tool is to paste the URL into RowVid.com and watch it at half or quarter speed."
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they saw abnormal movements. Only 15% did not, and 21% were unsure. There are long segments in which the eye movements appear normal.
About 60% of those who saw abnormal movements thought "the cause could be a potentially disabling neurological condition," and none of them were willing to say that it isn't.
Such movements signify an abnormality in portions of the brain that coordinate the eye muscles. There is a long differential diagnosis.
Possibilities the respondents suggested include increased intracranial pressure (she is at risk for that because of her history of head trauma and a transverse sinus clot); a drug effect; or a chronic degenerative neurological condition.