Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) | Sparrow Eyecare Texas https://sparrowtexas.com Locally owned full service eyecare for the community. Mon, 30 Sep 2024 04:32:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://sparrowtexas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/cropped-Icon-32x32.png Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) | Sparrow Eyecare Texas https://sparrowtexas.com 32 32 dizziness https://sparrowtexas.com/dizziness/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 04:32:01 +0000 https://sparrowtexas.com/?p=1398 Not all dizziness is caused by neurological issues. Often it can be due to a combination
of Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), and difficulties with the vestibulo-ocular
connection. The use of prism or microprism can be used to alleviate most of these
symptoms, which is used to treat a subtle eye misalignment. These misalignments are
often too small to be seen on a routine eye visit but require a longer more in-depth look
at the binocular function.


Dizziness when rising from sitting and dizziness when rolling over in bed can also be
signs of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). An extensive neurovisual
exam will let us know if we need to incorporate both prism and a referral to cardiology to
rule out this condition.


There are also several conditions of the ear that can cause a patient to be dizzy, which
will also be ruled out during the neurovisual exam with Dr. Sarah. In this case, special
ear plugs can be used to reduce the symptoms, or a referral to an ENT will be advised
depending on the condition suspected. Most patients find that they have a significant
reduction in their dizziness with the use of prism.


Nausea is another symptom that can often be confused with dizziness when it comes to
binocular vision dysfunction and vertical misalignments. These patients will also have
difficulty walking without support, and will frequently use a cane or walker to get around.

Driving in the car can be difficult whether a passenger or a driver. The patient can
experience severe dizziness due to the moving vehicles beside them, and this can
trigger nausea/dizziness. Some even describe it as anxiety because they feel so unsafe
and uncomfortable driving.

]]> Why prism? https://sparrowtexas.com/why-prism/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 04:07:33 +0000 https://sparrowtexas.com/?p=1394 Prism is used when there the two eyes are not functioning together as they should be.
Sometimes one eye can be up or down, while sometimes the eyes tend to sit out or in.
And occasionally you can have both vertical and horizontal eye misalignment. This is
one form of Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD). The prism or microprism can be used to
realign the eyes so that the eyes can be more comfortable, especially when working on
the computer or reading. Most patient do not see double, but double vision is a definitive
indicator that someone is a good candidate for prism.


Doctors that prescribe prism need to be certified and go through extensive training in
order to measure the prism correctly. If not done correctly, patients can be left with
dizziness, discomfort, anxiety symptoms or occasional double vision. Dr. Sarah has
been specially certified to prescribe prism for her patients.


The other aspect that is important is whether the lab that makes the prism frequently
calibrates their machines to accurately grind the prism into the lenses. If not done
correctly, the patient can end up more symptomatic than when they started.

The type of provider you are looking for if you need prism is a binocular vision specialist.
Specifically, a doctor that has completed Neurovisual Medicine Institute (NVMI) will be
able to prescribe smaller amounts of prism and more accurately.

When starting prism in your glasses, it is possible that over 6-12 weeks the eyes will
progressively relax and your prism will need to be adjusted at that time. This is very
common, since the eye muscles have been under strain and are still attempting to
compensate for the misalignment. Once the muscles get the help they need, the
symptoms can change and the prism may need to be adjusted.

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