Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or off balance can be frustrating, especially when it happens frequently. Many people assume the cause is their inner ear, dehydration, or fatigue, but sometimes the issue is their vision. When your eyes don’t coordinate properly, your brain can receive mixed signals, leading to dizziness, headaches, or nausea. 

At Primary EyeCare Associates, we offer vision therapy to retrain your eyes and brain to work together more effectively, reducing these symptoms. In this blog, we’ll discuss how vision problems can contribute to dizziness and the solutions our experienced eye doctors can recommend. 

How vision problems can cause dizziness 

Your eyes and brain work as a team to help you stay balanced and oriented. When this teamwork is off, the brain struggles to process visual information correctly. The result can be feelings of unsteadiness, motion sensitivity, or lightheadedness—even if your eyesight seems fine. 

Eye problems that cause dizziness 

Several vision conditions may contribute to dizziness or imbalance: 

• Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD): When your eyes don’t align properly, your brain receives conflicting signals, which can cause dizziness, blurred vision, and headaches. 
• Outdated or incorrect prescriptions: Wearing glasses or contact lenses with the wrong prescription can strain your eyes and affect your balance. 
• Eye muscle imbalances: Weak or misaligned eye muscles can make tracking moving objects difficult, increasing motion sensitivity. 
• Focusing difficulties: Struggling to shift focus between near and far objects can cause eye fatigue and lightheadedness. 

Signs your vision is causing dizziness 

If you’ve ruled out other causes but still feel off balance, your eyes may be involved. Look for these common signs: 

• Feeling unsteady while walking or turning your head 
• Headaches or eye strain after reading, screen use, or homework 
• Occasional double or blurred vision 
• Difficulty switching focus from near to far objects 
• Sensitivity to motion or bright light 

Even mild symptoms can disrupt daily routines. A comprehensive eye exam can detect subtle vision problems that routine vision screenings might miss. 

Solutions for vision-related dizziness 

Several options can help improve comfort and stability: 

• Vision therapy: We use personalized exercises to help train your eyes and brain to work together more efficiently. Over time, this can improve focus, depth perception, and balance, making everyday activities easier and more comfortable. 
• Updated glasses or contact lenses: Even small adjustments in your prescription can relieve eye strain and reduce symptoms like dizziness, headaches, or blurred vision. 
• Contact lens exam: We offer contact lens exams to ensure your lenses fit properly and provide the correct correction, which can prevent visual fatigue and maintain comfort throughout the day. 

With guidance from our experienced eye doctors in Troy, Fort Loramie, and Sidney, these treatments can be tailored to your unique needs. 

Enjoy steadier vision and greater comfort 

Dizziness or visual discomfort shouldn’t interfere with your daily life. A comprehensive eye exam can uncover underlying issues, like binocular vision dysfunction, and help you find effective solutions.  

Call our office or schedule an appointment at the location nearest you to start feeling steadier and seeing clearly.