Do you ever find yourself feeling dizzy when standing up, unsteady when walking, or overwhelmed in crowded spaces? Do your eyes tire easily at the computer, or do you experience anxiety that seems to appear out of nowhere? These challenges are often brushed aside or attributed to stress, aging, or unrelated health conditions. However, many people don’t realize these symptoms may be linked to a common but often overlooked vision condition: Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD).
 

Understanding Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD)

Your eyes are designed to work together seamlessly, creating a single, clear image for your brain to process. In patients with BVD, the eyes are slightly misaligned. This tiny misalignment forces the brain to work harder to correct the imbalance, resulting in a wide range of frustrating symptoms that can affect daily life.

Common signs of BVD include:

• Frequent dizziness or unsteady balance

• Headaches or migraines

• Eye strain, especially during reading or computer work

• Difficulty with concentration and comprehension

• Sensitivity to light or busy visual environments

• Anxiety, restlessness, or feelings of being “on edge”

• Nausea or motion sickness

Because these symptoms overlap with other medical or neurological issues, BVD often goes undiagnosed.
 

The Link Between BVD, Balance, and Anxiety

Vision plays a critical role in how we perceive the world around us and maintain equilibrium. When your eyes are misaligned, your brain receives conflicting information about where objects are in space. This constant visual confusion can make you feel unsteady, clumsy, or off balance.

Over time, the strain of BVD doesn’t just affect your body physically - it can also impact your emotional well-being. Many patients report increased stress, irritability, and anxiety because their visual system is always working in overdrive. Crowded stores, driving in traffic, or even walking in unfamiliar environments can trigger overwhelming feelings, leaving patients unsure why simple tasks feel so difficult.
 

What Makes a NeuroVisual™ Exam Different

At Beachwood Family Eye Care, we offer the NeuroVisual™ Exam, a specialized evaluation that goes beyond the scope of a traditional eye exam. A NeuroVisual™ Exam is designed to detect the subtle eye misalignments that most standard vision tests miss. During the exam, Dr. Thatcher and her team use precise testing methods to determine whether your symptoms could be connected to BVD.

If BVD is diagnosed, we may prescribe custom micro-prism lenses. These specialized lenses gently realign your eyes so they can work together effortlessly. By reducing the visual strain, your brain no longer has to overcompensate, which often provides near-immediate relief from symptoms like dizziness, headaches, and even anxiety.
 

Take the First Step Toward Relief

Living with unexplained dizziness, eye strain, or anxiety can be frustrating and exhausting. You may have even been told that “everything looks normal” during a routine eye exam. But if your symptoms sound familiar, there may finally be an answer.

Take the BVD questionnaire at https://www.bwfeye.com/take-the-bvd-test.html and start your journey toward greater balance, comfort, and confidence. A friendly member of our team will reach out to you, discuss your results, answer any questions you may have, and schedule you for your NeuroVisual™ Exam.