Many patients with vertical heterophoria get very dizzy while driving a car. They may also have balance issues, get lightheaded or dizzy when bending down, frequently bump into things and experience migraines that aren’t helped by pain medications.
If you experience the above symptoms, you may have a binocular vision disorder known as vertical heterophoria. This condition is the result of an eye misalignment that moves images up or down respectively in either eye. When these images appear at different levels in the eyes, the brain works to fix the problem by realigning the eyes. To do this, however, it must make the eye muscles move the eyes back into position, which puts a lot of strain and pressure on those muscles. It is this forced realignment that brings about the aforementioned visual symptoms.
Living With Dizziness
A lot of these symptoms, particularly experiencing dizziness while driving, can lead to severe anxiety attacks. This problem can get so bad that these people are no longer able to function normally and struggle to even leave the house. Dr. Cheryl had the pleasure of working with just such a woman we’ll refer to as G, who had been suffering from dizziness for 10 years.
This lovely woman would experience severe dizziness in the car, which would then lead to anxiety attacks. She also complained about an unsteady feeling while walking, neck aches, sensitivity to light and an anxious feeling in large, open areas, all of which are classic symptoms of vertical heterophoria. She had seen many doctors and tried many treatments, but nothing and no one was able to help her.
Finally Finding Relief
During her first visit to the Neuro Visual Center of New York, G felt an immediate difference when trying on the trial frames containing her prismatic lens correction. She felt steadier and more grounded on her feet, was able to walk a straight line and felt her dizziness decreasing. She could actually feel her eye muscles relaxing. It was so rewarding to see the look of pure joy on her face. With her new prism glasses, G was soon back on the road back to a normal life!
To find out more about our treatment for dizziness and how prism lenses are helping patients once again live a normal life, give the Neuro Visual Center of New York a call today at (516) 224-4888.
