Headaches and neck tension are extremely common complaints. They can be caused by many different things, and many people are surprised to learn that they can be a direct result of eye issues. Digital eyestrain is becoming more common, particularly this year as a result of so many people working from home and spending more time on digital devices such as computers, laptops and smartphones. Digital eyestrain refers to a temporary discomfort that typically follows several hours or more of digital device use.

Headaches, neck tension and digital eyestrain are also all common symptoms of an eye condition known as Binocular Vision Dysfunction or BVD for short.
 

What is Binocular Vision Dysfunction?

BVD is a fairly common visual condition in which the line of sight for one eye tends to be slightly out of alignment with the line of sight from the eye other eye. This misalignment is usually vertical rather than horizontal and can vary in severity. The greater the misalignment is, the more significant the effects of the condition are likely to be. These occur because of the heavy strain placed on the eye muscles by the misalignment, as they work together to try and counteract it so that you can achieve clear single focus vision.
 

Symptoms of Binocular Vision Dysfunction

There are a wide range of different symptoms associated with BVD, including but bit limited to:

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Clumsiness / poor coordination

• Light-headedness

• Unsteady when walking

• Poor depth perception

• Motion sickness

• Headaches and facial pain

• Head tilt

• Eye pain

• Neck and upper back / shoulder pain

• Double vision

• Sensitivity to light

• Anxiety / feeling overwhelmed when in crowds or large spaces

• Blurred vision

• Fatigue when reading

• Difficulty reading such as losing you places or skipping lines

• You may find it easier to cover an eye to see more clearly

The severity of your symptoms can vary considerably, and while one patient may be able to manage fairly well day to day, others may find that their ability to function normally is significantly impaired.
 

About Neurolens®

Neurolens® are unique prescription lenses that are the first and only of their type. Unlike other lens solutions, Neurolens® contain small amounts of contoured, microprism to bring the eyes into alignment. Exactly how much prism is needed depends on your individual circumstances, and it’s not unusual to need multiple adjustments to get the balance just right. However, when it is achieved, patients can see a dramatic improvement in their vision and a reduction in the associated symptoms that you have been experiencing.
 

How do Neurolens® lenses work?

It is the prism within Neurolens® that adjusts your vision. Traditional eyeglass lenses are designed to help correct refractive eye errors such as myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). However, they can’t help with eye misalignment. The Neurolens® contoured prism takes your individual dynamic eye alignment into account and gradually increases the prism power from distance to near in order to bring the eyes into the ideal alignment. This gradual increase in prism power is important since research has shown that around 90% of patients with eye misalignment experience a larger visual misalignment when viewing nearby objects (ex. a computer screen), than they do when looking at objects in the distance. You may notice a definite improvement of up to 50% in your vision as soon as you start to use your Neurolens®. However, with the appropriate adjustments, it is possible to see an 80% reduction in the symptoms that you are experiencing, including your headaches, neck tension and digital eyestrain.

For more information about Neurolens®, or to schedule an appointment, please contact Positive Eye Ons at (323) 651-5646.