You might feel dizzy or off-balance from time to time and wonder what’s causing it. While many things can lead to these feelings, the connection between your eyes and your sense of balance is stronger than you may think. In fact, certain vision problems can cause dizziness, underscoring how much your vision affects your stability.
Yes, eye strain can cause dizziness by sending mismatched signals from your visual system to your brain. When your eyes work too hard to focus, often due to an underlying condition like binocular vision dysfunction, the resulting fatigue can disrupt your sense of balance. Let’s explore how this happens and what you can do about it.
The Link Between Your Eyes and Dizziness
Your brain relies on 3 systems to keep you balanced: your inner ear, your body’s sensory information, and your vision. When your visual system struggles, it can send confusing signals to your brain. This mismatch can leave you feeling disoriented, lightheaded, or dizzy.
How Eye Muscle Strain Affects Balance
When you focus on a task for a long time, like reading or using a computer, your eye muscles can get tired. This fatigue, often referred to as digital eye strain, can make it difficult for your eyes to work together efficiently, and the extra effort can result in an unsteady feeling.
A Deeper Look at Binocular Vision Dysfunction
For many, the root cause of these symptoms is a condition called Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD). BVD happens when your eyes are not perfectly aligned. Even a slight misalignment forces your eye muscles to constantly correct your vision so you can see a single, clear image.
The Cycle of Misalignment and Realignment
This ongoing cycle of your eyes falling out of alignment and your muscles forcing them back into place puts significant strain on your visual system. Your brain works overtime to fuse the 2 slightly different images from your eyes into a single image. This intense effort can lead to several uncomfortable symptoms.
How BVD Connects to Vertigo and Balance Problems
The constant struggle to realign your vision can trick your brain into thinking things are moving when they are not. This can cause symptoms like vertigo, motion sickness, and general balance issues. The brain receives conflicting information, which can make you feel unsteady on your feet.
How to Know if Your Dizziness Is Vision-Related
It’s helpful to recognize the signs that your dizziness may be connected to your eyes. Certain symptoms often appear together when a vision problem is the underlying issue. Paying attention to these clues can help you identify the source of your discomfort.
Common Signs of Eye Strain and BVD
You may experience a range of physical symptoms, including:
- Headaches, especially in the forehead or temples
- Dizziness or feeling off-balance
- Nausea
- Anxiety, particularly in large spaces or crowds
- Sensitivity to light
- Pain in your neck and shoulders
- Blurred or double vision from eye misalignment
What Causes Eye Strain
Eye strain can come from many daily activities. Common causes include:
- Long periods of screen use on computers or phones
- Reading for an extended time
- Driving long distances
- Work in poor lighting, either too dim or too bright
- An uncorrected vision problem
How to Get Relief From Dizziness and Eye Strain
You can take steps to reduce eye strain and the dizziness that may come with it. Simple changes to your daily habits and professional solutions can make a big difference. These approaches can help your eyes feel more comfortable and relaxed.
Simple At-Home Tips
Try these techniques to give your eyes a break throughout the day:
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
- Adjust your screen: Position your screen about an arm’s length away so your gaze is slightly downward, and match its brightness to the room’s light.
- Check your lighting: Use soft, indirect lighting to reduce glare on your screen.
- Practice good posture: Sit up straight to reduce strain on your neck and shoulders.
Professional Vision Solutions
If at-home tips don’t provide enough relief, specialized lenses may help. Our practice offers Neurolens glasses with micro-prism technology designed to correct eye misalignment. These lenses bend light so your brain can create a single clear image without straining your eye muscles.
A Professional Evaluation for Your Vision and Balance
The first step toward relief is to find out the specific cause of your symptoms. A comprehensive eye exam can determine if a vision problem is contributing to your dizziness. This helps create a clear path forward for your care.
What to Expect During an Exam
During a specialized exam, an eye doctor will carefully assess how your eyes work together. This evaluation goes beyond a standard eye test. If you have persistent dizziness, a thorough exam with your eye doctor can help identify if a vision misalignment is the source.
Find the Right Path to Relief
Once the cause is clear, you can get the right support. For many people with BVD, custom aligning lenses provide significant relief from dizziness, headaches, and balance issues. Our specialized BVD treatment is a great way to explore your options.
Caring for Your Eyes, Supporting Your Well-Being
At Vision Care Center, we genuinely care about every person who walks through our doors and are dedicated to your long-term vision health. If dizziness and eye strain are impacting your life, we are here to help.
Contact us to schedule an appointment and learn more about our tailored vision programs.
