What is BVD?

Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) is caused by the two eyes not working together, most frequently due to a misalignment between the two eyes.

When people have normal binocular vision, their eyes work in tandem and are perfectly in sync at all times, allowing the eyes to send one clear and focused picture to the brain.

How does BVD affect my life?

BVD impacts the lives of both children and adults, dramatically affecting the performance at the office and reading and learning skills.

BVD causes difficulties in seeing one clear image. The misalignment of the two eyes causes each eye to send a different image to the brain, which then struggles to turn them into one unified and clear image.

BVD Symptoms

BVD symptoms can lead to a variety of symptoms, including:

• Double vision
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Motion sickness
• Light sensitivity
• Stress
• Anxiety

Micro-prisms for BVD

BVD can be successfully treated with specific optical lenses called micro-prisms.

Prism lenses work to correct the misalignment in your eyes by manipulating incoming light before it enters your eyes, so when the images from the two eyes reach the brain, the brain can fuse them into a single image.

With prism lenses patients usually find that their symptoms gradually subside or completely disappear.

What to do next?

If you are an eye doctor and want to find out more about treating BVD, contact the Neuro-Visual Medicine Institute: www.nvminstitute.org/

If you feel you may have BVD and are looking for an eye doctor, visit this site: www.vision-specialists.com/

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When blurred vision and a headache are experienced at the same time it can be frightening, especially the first time it happens.

Blurred vision can affect one or both eyes. It can cause vision to be cloudy, dim, or even peppered with shapes and colors, making it difficult to see.

If a headache occurs with or causes blurred vision, it may be due to an underlying condition or medical emergency.

SEE RELATED: Can Sleep Apnea Affect your Eyes?

Contact an eye doctor near you if you experience blurred vision and a headache at the same time, as it can be a sign of a serious condition.

Conditions that can cause both a headache and blurred vision include:

1. Migraines

Migraines affect at least 10 percent of the world’s population. Migraine headaches cause severe pulsing or throbbing pain in a part of the head.

Roughly one-third of migraine sufferers also experience visual disturbances, such as blurred vision.

Visual symptoms of migraines tend to last an hour or less. Visual problems tend to set in before any pain is experienced, but they can also occur during the headache itself.

Other symptoms commonly associated with migraines include:

• blind spots
• nausea and vomiting
• objects seeming closer or further away than they are
• partial or complete temporary loss of vision
• seeing flashes of light or stars, squiggles, or dots
• seeing an aura of light around objects
• sensitivity to light and sound
• tunnel vision
• zigzagging lines that move across the field of vision and often shimmer

These symptoms are typically treated with painkillers, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, and  prescription medications.

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact an eye doctor near you.

2. Eye Strain

Eye strain occurs when the eyes become exhausted from prolonged use, such as driving long distances or looking at a computer screen or other digital device.

In many cases, signs and symptoms of eyestrain can indicate an underlying eye condition.

Undiagnosed visual problems causing headaches include such as an eye muscle imbalance or a need for glasses for the correction of myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism. Wearing glasses with an incorrect prescription may also cause eye strain.

Other than headaches and blurred, signs and symptoms of eye strain may include:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Double vision
• Feeling that you cannot keep your eyes open
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Sore neck, shoulders or back
• Sore, tired, burning or itchy eyes
• Watery or dry eyes

3. Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD)

BVD is due to a misalignment between the two eyes, causing the eyes to struggle to work together.

When people have normal binocular vision, their eyes function together and are completely in sync at all times, allowing the eyes to give the brain one clear and focused image.

Headaches and dizziness are the two most common symptoms associated with BVD. 

Patients with BVD tend to experience headaches in the front of the face or the temples. The dizziness is often described as feeling lightheaded or disoriented.

Other signs and symptoms include:

• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Double vision
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Light sensitivity
• Motion sickness
• Stress

Blurred vision and headache together can indicate a serious medical condition.

If symptoms are mild and only last for a short period or you’ve been diagnosed with migraine, see an eye doctor.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Eye Conditions

If you’re concerned about your symptoms, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you.

The post Blurry Vision and Headaches appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Tension in the neck and shoulders can lead to eye strain, as tense muscles can press on eye nerves at the back of your neck. When thinking about what causes eye strain, you wouldn’t necessarily think that tension in your neck or shoulders would have an effect on your eyes.

Muscle tension in the upper back, neck and shoulders can be caused by a common visual misalignment, called Binocular Vision Dysfunction.

Others who experience neck pain may be compensating for an eye misalignment by tilting their head towards one shoulder. While this may help to realign the images vertically, it can lead to chronic neck pain.

By treating a vision misalignment or eye strain you allow the eyes to see clearly and properly, and symptoms of neck pain can be reduced or eliminated, providing you with a sense of relief.

Contact an eye doctor near you who has experience working with patients with neck pain and diagnosing and treating BVD or CVS.

SEE RELATED: 2021 Update: BVD and Eye Fatigue

What is BVD?

Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) is a condition where the eyes struggle to send one clear image to the brain due to a slight misalignment of the eyes.

This may not sound serious, especially if the misalignment is only very slight, but if the eyes aren’t working together perfectly it can be difficult or even impossible for a person to function properly without becoming dizzy – even if they have clear vision.

Fortunately, there are treatment options available that can help patients to overcome the impact that BVD has on their lives.

If you think your neck pain or other symptoms are related to your vision, contact a vision therapy eye doctor near you.

BVD Treatment

Vision therapy and prism lenses are a successful way to treat BVD.

1. Vision Therapy 

BVD is often treated with vision therapy.

Vision therapy is a customized program to improve the communication between the eyes and the brain to support the visual system and alleviate the symptoms of BVD, such as neck pain.

Usually, patients find that their symptoms slowly subside or completely disappear by completing a vision therapy program.

2. Prism Lenses

Prismatic (prism) lenses, along with vision therapy, have been proven to alleviate BVD symptoms. Prism lenses work to correct the eyes’ misalignment by manipulating incoming light before it enters the eyes so that when the images from the two eyes reach the brain, the brain can merge them into a single image.

The prisms in the glasses ‘trick’ the brain into thinking the eyes are aligned properly, allowing them to see just one object and preventing eye muscle strain and neck pain.

Contact a vision therapy eye doctor near you to start a vision therapy program to give your eyes the relief they deserve.

What is CVS (computer vision syndrome)?

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is an eye condition caused by staring at a digital device, especially for many hours. This condition presents itself through eye strain, neck strain, fatigue or headaches.

What is the best way to prevent CVS?

The number one way to prevent CVS, also known as Digital Eye Strain,  is by having an eye examination to rule out any visual problems, including lazy eye, focusing, eye tracking and convergence.

There are a number of other effective ways to relieve and even prevent CVS:

• Reduce glare. The eyes need to work much harder when there’s glare on a screen. Make sure the screen is positioned in a way that prevents glare from indoor lighting or sunshine.  A glare filter can also be added to the screen to prevent glare.
• Take breaks and blink often. Follow the 20-20-20 rule to prevent staring at a screen for too long. Take a break from the computer or device for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes, and look at something at least 20 feet away.
• Adjust the screen’s angle. Make sure the screen is 20-28 inches from the eyes and that the center of the screen is 4-8 inches lower than eye level.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)

Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you who can help diagnose the cause of your neck pain and find the best treatment options for you and your eyes.

The post 2021 Update: BVD and Neck Pain appeared first on Optometrists.org.

Light sensitivity, clinically termed photophobia, can cause discomfort in the presence of natural and artificial light, and can significantly impact your quality of life.

Photophobia can result from many different conditions and has been shown to affect:

• Up to 90% of migraine sufferers
• Up to 75% of patients with severe dry eye symptoms 
• Up to 70% of patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Up to 70% of people diagnosed with ADHD

Symptoms of photophobia

The symptoms of photophobia can be mild to severe and include:

• Eye pain
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Frequent blinking
• Squinting or closing the eyes

If you experience any of these signs above contact an eye doctor near you.

SEE RELATED: Post Trauma Vision Syndrome

What causes photophobia? 

Photophobia can be caused by a wide variety of ocular and medical conditions.

If you are experiencing increased sensitivity to light, schedule an appointment for an eye exam to rule out a serious eye or medical condition. 

Eye conditions that can cause photophobia include:

• Dilated pupils
• Dry eye
• Eye sunburn
• Conjunctivitis 
• Keratitis 
• Corneal abrasion
• Iritis or uveitis
• Retinal damage
• Glaucoma 
• Cataracts 
• Eye surgery
• Blepharospasm

Other causes of photophobia include:

• Headaches or migraines
• Brain injury and concussions
• Certain medications
• Bacterial and viral infections
• Meningitis

Head injury and photophobia 

Photophobia that develops following a TBI or concussion can result from any of the following problems in the brain:

1 Oxygen deficiency. In some cases, an oxygen deficiency in the thalamus can occur following a TBI. This can cause the brain to be overwhelmed by certain visual stimuli, including bright light.

2. Autonomic nervous system (ANS). If the ANS becomes dysregulated following a TBI, the pupils may dilate too wide and let in too much light for the visual system to process.

3. Vestibular system. The vestibular system regulates balance and motion. If there is a discrepancy in either of those areas following a TBI, the brain may compensate by increasing eye sensitivity.

4. Superior colliculus. The superior colliculus is responsible for visual mapping and coordinating with the other senses. An imbalance in this area following a TBI can cause hypersensitivity among the senses, including vision.

Can a vision problem cause photophobia?

Yes, a problem within the visual system can cause an increased sensitivity to light. 

Photophobia that is persistent, though unrelated to an eye or medical condition, may be the result of a disruption between the eye’s light-detecting cells and the optical nerve in the back of the eye.

Moreover, a disruption within the eye-brain connections that results in eye misalignment can also lead to photophobia.

How is photophobia treated?

If a vision problem is causing or worsening your photophobia, your eye doctor may recommend a personalized neuro-optometric rehabilitation program.

This therapeutic program involves the use of specialized lenses and prisms, as well as visual exercises to strengthen the neural connections and treat the underlying cause of your symptoms.

LEARN MORE:  Guide to Neuro-Optometry

To determine if you can benefit from neuro-optometric rehabilitation, schedule a functional vision evaluation with an eye doctor today.

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