Maintaining (balance) is a complex process that is controlled by three different systems in the body:
- The vestibular system is mainly located in the inner ear and is responsible for providing the brain with information about head position, spatial orientation, and motion
- The visual system provides input from your eyes to your brain, and is the dominant system providing cues for maintaining (balance) and preventing (dizziness)
- Proprioceptors in the legs and feet provide the body with a stable platform as well as information on movement and motion
How Can Impaired Vision Cause (Dizziness) and A (Balance) Disorder?
Any disruption in the eye-brain connection or the visual system can result in (dizziness) and (balance) problems. When the visual system is negatively impacted, such as after a concussion, stroke or other traumatic brain injuries (TBI), (dizziness) can occur.
If the eye-brain disruption results in damaging or weakening the binocular visual system, light-headedness or (dizziness) may be the result. It becomes challenging for the brain to unify the two images seen by the right and left eye. As the eyes are struggling to work together, the images may appear to be moving, which can, in turn, cause feelings of nausea, (dizziness), and imbalance. Other symptoms may include blurry or double vision, eyestrain, headaches, and spatial disorientation.
What Causes Vestibular Dysfunction?
Vestibular dysfunction may be caused by damage to the vestibular system through disease, viral infection, stroke, blows to the head (such as concussions, brain trauma, whiplash) or some other unspecified cause The result is a wide array of symptoms that can impact all aspects of daily living such as:
- (Dizziness) and (vertigo)
- Imbalance and spatial disorientation
- Cognitive and psychological changes
- Hearing changes
- Vision disturbance
- Concentration difficulties
- Memory loss
- Fatigue
The brain is working very hard just to keep the body upright, and therefore other brain functions are compromised. Neuro optometric vision rehabilitation is a series of activities that help to retrain the brain and eyes to work together as a team and to see visual space accurately and respond accordingly. The goal of therapy is to reduce symptoms and regain functionality in daily living activities.
If you or a loved one is experiencing any symptoms of (dizziness) or feeling off-balance, contact Pursuit Vision Center for a consultation. Even if you’ve been told that your symptoms are stress-related, seasonal, or will fade on their own, having a functional visual evaluation can help rule out vision as being the root cause or contributing factor to your symptoms.
