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How does the vestibulo-ocular reflex keep vision steady during head movements?

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Meissner's corpuscle; mechanoreception — Mechanoreception In human skin, specialized nerve endings known as Meissner's corpuscles (or tactile corpuscles) are sensitive to touch. They are one of several different types of mechanoreceptors found in human skin.

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) stabilizes gaze by generating compensatory eye movements that counter head rotation, ensuring that an image remains stationary on the retina.21

This process relies on the semicircular canals of the inner ear, which detect angular acceleration. When the head rotates, the inertia of the endolymph fluid within these canals causes it to lag, deflecting the cupula and stimulating hair cells. This generates a velocity signal that is transmitted via the vestibular nuclei to the brainstem.231

The brainstem then sends signals to the extraocular muscles, causing the eyes to rotate in the opposite direction of the head movement at an equal speed. This reflex is highly plastic; the cerebellum continuously monitors the accuracy of these movements and adjusts the VOR to ensure the visual image does not slip during motion. For slower movements, the VOR works in tandem with the optokinetic reflex to maintain steady vision.214