Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) and Its Impact on Quality of Life

Eye conditions like binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) can significantly affect one’s quality of life. The American Optometric Association says that people with this eye ailment can suffer from symptoms that make daily activities almost impossible.

What is BVD?

This is when your eyes don’t work well as a team, making it difficult to send a clear image to your brain. It can cause motion sickness, light sensitivity, dizziness, vertigo, panic attacks while driving or in big stores, sleepiness when reading, headaches, migraines, and more. Both adults and children can suffer from BVD. Research indicates that this condition is often misdiagnosed as ADHD or dyslexia.

The Symptoms That Affect Quality of Life

Different symptoms of BVD can interfere with a patient’s ability to function each day. The most basic activities can become challenging because of disorientation, motion sickness, and anxiety. Many patients feel that their symptoms are endless. Among these are double vision and problems with coordination. Squinting and head-tilting can also happen. Here are the BVD symptoms that can impact one’s quality of life:
 

• Physical symptoms of BVD include neck, shoulder, and upper back pain. Motion sickness and nausea can also occur. Patients with BVD tend to move to the left or right while they walk. That is why they tend to knock into shelves or other objects. Discomfort in the cheeks or sinuses can make it difficult for you to focus on what you are doing. Nausea and dizzy spells can lead to frequent falls.
   

• If you have BVD, even reading can be close to impossible. You may feel tired right away. This makes you lose your focus. You may not understand what you are reading because the words seem to mix together or float around.
   

• Higher levels of anxiety occur in BVD patients. You may develop agoraphobia. Being in crowded areas may trigger panic attacks.
   

• Driving in low light conditions or at night can be difficult as well. Some patients may avoid driving because they get anxious. The confidence they used to have disappears because they cannot judge the distances well.

Types of BVD

Research reveals that treating BVD disorders may improve your quality of life. A thorough eye check will tell your doctor what type of BVD you have. Here are the different types of BVD:
 

• CE (convergence excess) is when your eyes turn in more than normal eyes do when you look at something at near distances.
   

• CI (convergence insufficiency) is when your eyes are unable to maintain a single vision and turn inward when looking at something at near distances.
   

• Strabismus is when your eyes make an outward-eye turn and an inward-eye turn.
   

• DE (divergence excess) is when the eyes turn outward excessively when you look at something far away.
   

If you or someone you know suffers from any of these symptoms, get relief now and take our Free 5 Minute Self Test to find out if you have BVD Here.