Both headaches and visual problems are common health problems, but many people aren’t aware that they can sometimes be connected.
At Thompson Family Optometry in Brampton we diagnose and treat visual system deficits caused by misaligned eyes, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and other neurological conditions. Neuro-optometric rehabilitation can help alleviate debilitating symptoms like headaches, eye strain, and double vision.
What Defines Visual Problems?
When the brain, optic nerve, and eyes malfunction, this causes visual system issues, which can impact how an individual sees and interprets visual information.
Symptoms of visual system dysfunction include double vision, blurred vision, impaired color perception, eye strain, and visual field loss. They can be caused by many different factors, from head injuries and eye diseases to infections and neurological disorders.
Visual Problems and Headaches
Problems with the visual system can trigger headaches. Having poor visual skills can force the muscles of the eyes to work too hard. An example of this is binocular vision dysfunction (BVD).
Traumatic brain injuries like concussions and non-traumatic brain injuries like strokes can also cause damage to the visual system and result in headaches.
What Is Binocular Vision Disorder (BVD)?
BVD causes the eyes to be misaligned, making it difficult for them to coordinate effectively. This leads to eye strain and symptoms like headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and double vision.
This condition also makes it challenging to perform simple daily activities like watching TV, driving, reading and even using digital devices like computers. It can be caused by various things, including neurological disorders and eye injuries.
BVD is diagnosed by a neuro-optometrist during a functional eye exam, with neuro-optometric rehabilitation the most effective treatment.
Treatment for Visual Problems
Neuro-optometric rehabilitation has been described as training for the visual system, where the brain and the eyes are taught how to work together in an efficient way. This improves visual skills like convergence, eye tracking, eye teaming, and side vision.
A 2017 study published in the journal of the American Academy of Optometry studied 218 post-concussion patients suffering from binocular conditions like accommodative and convergence insufficiency, oculomotor issues, and eye movement difficulties. Most showed significant improvement after neuro-optometric rehabilitation.
Treat Headaches Caused by Vision Problems in Brampton
Headaches and vision problems are often connected.
If you’re experiencing frequent headaches but can’t figure out why schedule a neuro-optometric evaluation with Thompson Family Optometry in Brampton.