The three most common symptoms associated with binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) are eye strain, headaches and dizziness. BVD can also cause pain in the neck and shoulders, difficulties with balance, coordination, reading and vision, as well as anxiety in crowded or large places, such as a shopping mall.
What is BVD?
Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) is a condition where the two eyes are misaligned and therefore don’t have the same line of sight. This means the brain receives two different images, which it attempts to fuse into one clear 3D image. Trying to fix the misalignment puts the eye muscles under a great deal of stress.
How Do You Get BVD?
BVD can occur as a result of facial asymmetry (one eye is higher than the other), nerve or eye muscle abnormalities (a common issue many people are born with), stroke, brain injury, or another neurological disorder.
Can A Regular Eye Exam Detect BVD?
Usually not. While nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia (age-related farsightedness), can be diagnosed during a standard comprehensive eye exam, such exams often miss subtle binocular vision problems. That’s where a BVD evaluation comes in. Left undiagnosed, BVD can make it much more difficult for a child to learn in school, and for an adult to function in the workplace.
How is BVD Diagnosed?
A diagnostic evaluation for binocular vision dysfunction assesses a variety of visual skills that aren't assessed during a routine eye exam. For example, your eye doctor will assess:
- Eye Tracking
- Stereopsis or 3D vision
- Ocular motility
- Visual perception
- Depth perception
- Visual processing
- Spatial awareness
- Visual-motor integration
- Accommodation (focusing)
- Convergence (eye teaming)
How Is Binocular Vision Dysfunction Treated?
BVD is treated with binocular vision therapy using customized micro-prism lenses, which bend light in such a way that the images viewed by the brain can be fused into one single comfortable image. The eye muscles will now no longer have to strain as a result, delivering relief from eye strain, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision and other symptoms.
Vision therapy strengthens the eye muscles so they can send similar images to the brain. This enables the brain to create a clear 3D image.
To find out more about BVD and to get treatment, contact Lakeline Vision Source. We will evaluate your vision and create the best treatment plan for you so you can live your best life.
Lakeline Vision Source serves patients from Austin, Cedar Park, Brushy Creek, and Round Rock, Texas and surrounding communities.
Q: Can BVD Make Driving Difficult?
- A: Yes, many individuals with BVD have difficulties driving. This is because BVD may cause headaches, which affect concentration, and double vision. Balance, depth perception and equilibrium are also impacted.
Q: At what age can a person receive treatment for BVD?
- A: Anyone can be treated for BVD as long as they are old enough to wear the prism glasses and communicate or demonstrate their symptoms to the doctor. The youngest patient known to have received treatment was 8 months old.