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The Causes & Symptoms of Binocular Vision Dysfunction: Your Questions Answered

Considering that a large portion of today’s jobs require employees to spend at least part of their workday on computers, healthy eyesight has become more essential than ever. While regular visits to the eye doctor to check the health of your eyes and measure visual acuity are definitely important, too many people are not aware of the importance of testing for visual problems such as Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) as well. BVD and other binocular vision issues can have a huge impact on your life, both at work and at home, which is why it’s so important to understand what BVD is and the signs and symptoms to watch for. In today’s blog, the specialists at Vision Specialists of Michigan answer a few of the most frequently asked questions about BVD.

What are the signs of BVD that I should look for?

In order for the eyes to work together as a team, they must be in perfect alignment. When they’re not, a number of unpleasant and sometimes painful physical symptoms can occur. Headaches, dizziness and balance issues are some of the most common indicators that BVD is present. Other signs include:

• Reading problems (losing your place frequently, skipping lines), as well difficulty comprehending what was read.
• Severe light sensitivity and blurred/shadowed/doubled vision.
• Anxiety and apprehension when in large, open indoor spaces with tall ceilings.

What causes BVD?

BVD can be a matter of genetic inheritance, though often those who have it don’t exhibit symptoms until years down the road. Many people who have BVD don’t even realize it because many other conditions have the exact same symptoms. BVD can also come about as a result of stroke, neurological disorders or head trauma, including concussion and post-concussive syndrome.

How does BVD affect driving?

Understandably, many people with BVD become extremely anxious and nervous when they drive as a result of visual vertigo, a phenomenon which causes dizziness that’s caused by an overabundance of visual stimuli (i.e. cars whizzing by on either side). Driving with BVD can be very dangerous because of these dizzy spells, and the anxiety and possible panic attacks that can be brought on because of them can be very unsettling.

How do your doctors treat BVD?

At Vision Specialists of Michigan, our specially trained doctors provide a wide range of services aimed at treating BVD and other binocular vision disorders. One such service is our NeuroVisual Examination, which is an extensive examination used to pinpoint the cause of your symptoms and determine if you have BVD. Upon a positive diagnosis, our specialists will create a customized treatment plan designed just for you. Treatment can include any of the following:

• Custom micro-prism lenses that help realign the eyes, thus greatly reducing or even eliminating the symptoms of BVD.
• Prism contact lenses that treat BVD, as well as contact lenses for astigmatism.

Make an Appointment at Vision Specialists of Michigan

We hope the answers to these questions have addressed your most pressing concerns about BVD. If not, feel free to contact Vision Specialists of Michigan at (248) 258-9000 with any further questions, or fill out our BVD questionnaire.