Dizziness & Vertigo
Unveiling the Hidden Culprit Behind Dizziness and Vertigo: A Vision-Centric Approach
Discovering the Visual Factors in Vestibular Disorders: Navigating Beyond Traditional Diagnosis
Welcome to Opto-mization, where we pioneer an effective approach in transforming the challenges of dizziness and vertigo.
By uncovering the often-missed link between vestibular disorders and vision issues, we guide you back to stability and clarity.
The Overlooked Connection - Vision and Vestibular Interplay
Explore the often-overlooked link between common vestibular disorders and vision issues. We delve into how binocular vision problems, convergence insufficiency, and other visual disorders contribute to conditions like vestibular neuritis, mal de débarquement, BPPV, and Ménière’s disease.
Common Vestibular Conditions - Deciphering the Visual Link
Investigate various vestibular disorders and their connection to vision:
- Vestibular Neuritis: Often accompanied by ocular motor dysfunction.
- Mal de Débarquement: Where visual-vestibular mismatch can be significant.
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): The impact of visual coordination on perception and balance.
- Ménière’s Disease: The role of visual inputs in symptom management.
Understanding these connections is vital for a comprehensive treatment strategy.
Vision's Role in Balance and Equilibrium - Beyond the Obvious Symptoms
Visual conditions often go unnoticed during standard eye exams, which can be problematic for individuals with vestibular issues, as their balance relies heavily on visual input. The eyes and the inner ear balance system work together to maintain equilibrium, and disruptions in visual processing can worsen vestibular symptoms like dizziness and vertigo.
Vision therapy can be particularly beneficial in these cases, helping to fine-tune the eyes’ coordination and the brain’s interpretation of visual cues, leading to improved balance and spatial orientation. It’s crucial for eye care professionals to be thorough and for patients to report all symptoms, ensuring that any visual factors contributing to balance issues are properly addressed.
Collaborative Care - A Multidisciplinary Approach to Equilibrium
Highlight Opto-mization’s collaboration with an array of professionals, including vestibular physiotherapists, ENTs, and chiropractors, to address the various facets of equilibrium effectively. This multidisciplinary approach ensures a comprehensive and coordinated solution for each patient.
Our Treatment Approach - Vision as a Path to Stability
Explore the often-overlooked link between common vestibular disorders and vision issues. We delve into how binocular vision problems, convergence insufficiency, and other visual disorders contribute to conditions like vestibular neuritis, mal de débarquement, BPPV, and Ménière’s disease.
Balance Problems and Vision
People suffering from a balance disorder can be stationary but feel as though they’re moving. Additionally, they may find it difficult to walk straight, especially after being in a sitting or reclining position and suddenly standing up.
Vision problems can make it challenging to maintain proper balance. When someone has troubled vision, and the eye muscles work harder to compensate for the decreased visual clarity, eyestrain, headaches, and balance disorders can occur.
The most common causes of vision-related balance problems include:
Blurry or double vision | Binocular Vision Dysfunction (eye teaming) | Concussion | Hemianopsia (blindness in one half of the visual field) | Nystagmus (involuntary and repetitive eye movements) | Spatial Disorientation | Vertigo | Visual Midline Shift Syndrome
What Is Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Therapy?
At Opto-mization, we provide neuro-optometric rehabilitation, a personalized program of weekly therapy sessions to improve, refine, or develop new or lost visual skills. This specialized treatment involves various techniques and exercises that improve your visual perception and processing, thereby strengthening the eye-brain connection.
Before the neuro-optometric rehabilitation program begins, you’ll undergo a comprehensive eye exam to assess visual skills and determine whether visual dysfunction is present. Aside from visual function and overall eye health, Dr. Cameron McCrodan or Dr. Scott Irvine will also check for eye coordination, blurry or double vision, and any other ocular condition that could be causing symptoms.
Once the cause of the condition is identified, we will recommend a customized treatment plan and treat it. In many cases, vestibular therapy will also be recommended to complement the visual treatment.
Vestibular therapy is a special type of physical therapy aimed at restoring correct balance to provide relief for symptoms of dizziness.
Treatment for Vision-Related Dizziness and Balance Problems
Dizziness and balance problems often go hand in hand, and if a visual problem is at the root, a neuro-optometric rehabilitation therapist can offer help.
When Should You Seek Treatment?
It’s important to be evaluated by a neuro-optometrist as early as possible following even a minor brain injury. The sooner treatment begins, the greater the likelihood of success. That said, there is still hope for patients who suffer from symptoms caused by a head injury that occurred months or even years prior; we can still assess your situation and develop a course of treatment to help you recover now.
How We Can Help
If you or a loved one is experiencing any symptoms of dizziness or feeling off-balance, contact us 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 the root cause or contributing factor to your symptoms.
It’s also important to note that not every optometrist is trained in this specialized field. Only a neuro-optometrist should assess and treat a post-TBI patient with neuro-optometric rehabilitation therapy. We have the expertise and latest technology to provide you with the top-level care you deserve.
How Long Does Treatment Take?
No two patients are alike — if you’ve seen one head injury, you’ve seen one head injury. Each person experiences a unique degree of dizziness, balance issues, or vision problems. Some patients may require just a few weeks of treatment, while others may need something more long-term. The good news is that the improvements achieved by neuro-optometric rehabilitation therapy are generally long-lasting.
