Dizziness when moving your eyes can often be attributed to binocular visual dysfunction (BVD), a condition where your eyes struggle to work together effectively. This is a common cause, affecting roughly 20% of people in the United States. However, other potential causes exist, so a proper diagnosis is crucial.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)
- What it is: BVD occurs when your eyes are misaligned, even slightly. This misalignment forces your eye muscles to work harder to maintain single, clear vision. This extra effort can lead to various symptoms, including dizziness, especially when moving your eyes.
- Why it causes dizziness: The constant strain and struggle to align images can disrupt the brain's processing of visual information, leading to a sense of disequilibrium or dizziness.
- Misdiagnosis: BVD is often initially misdiagnosed as vestibular migraines, a much rarer condition.
- Symptoms beyond Dizziness: Besides dizziness, BVD can cause headaches, eye strain, blurred vision, difficulty reading, and sensitivity to light.
Other Potential Causes
While BVD is a likely culprit, other factors can contribute to dizziness when moving your eyes:
- Vestibular Disorders: Problems with the inner ear's balance system can cause vertigo and dizziness. Eye movements can exacerbate these symptoms because the vestibular system and eye movements are closely linked. Examples include:
- Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): Brief episodes of vertigo triggered by specific head movements, which can include eye movements.
- Vestibular Neuritis: Inflammation of the vestibular nerve, leading to dizziness and balance problems.
- Medications: Certain medications can have dizziness as a side effect. Moving your eyes might intensify this feeling.
- Neurological Conditions: In rare cases, neurological issues affecting the brain's control of eye movements and balance can lead to dizziness.
- Eye Muscle Weakness or Paralysis: Weakness or paralysis of the eye muscles can cause double vision and dizziness, especially when attempting to move the eyes in certain directions.
- Dehydration: In some cases, dehydration can exacerbate dizziness.
What to Do
If you experience dizziness when moving your eyes, it's essential to:
- Consult an Eye Doctor (Optometrist or Ophthalmologist): A comprehensive eye exam can assess your binocular vision and rule out BVD or other vision-related problems. A neuro-ophthalmologist might be needed in complex cases.
- See a Medical Doctor: To rule out other potential causes, such as vestibular disorders or neurological conditions.
- Describe Your Symptoms in Detail: Be prepared to explain when the dizziness occurs, how long it lasts, and any other associated symptoms.
Treatment Options
The treatment will depend on the underlying cause:
- BVD: Corrective lenses (prism glasses), vision therapy, or both can help realign the eyes and alleviate symptoms.
- Vestibular Disorders: Vestibular rehabilitation therapy, medication, or specific maneuvers (like the Epley maneuver for BPPV) can help manage symptoms.
- Other Causes: Treatment will be tailored to the specific condition.
In summary, dizziness with eye movements is often linked to BVD, but a thorough evaluation by a medical professional is crucial to determine the precise cause and receive appropriate treatment.
