Can Vision Therapy Help Alleviate Headaches?

Headaches are a common and often debilitating health condition that can significantly impact your quality of life. While there are many potential causes of headaches, ranging from stress and tension to underlying medical conditions, one often overlooked factor is the health of your visual system.

Binocular vision disorders (BVD), or issues with the way your eyes work together, can be a significant contributor to headaches. These disorders can cause eye strain, fatigue, and other symptoms that can lead to persistent, recurring headaches. Understanding the connection between BVD and headaches is the first step in finding effective relief.

What is Binocular Vision Disorder (BVD)?

Binocular vision disorder is a condition where your eyes have difficulty working together as a team. This can lead to a range of symptoms, including:
 

• Blurred or double vision

• Eye strain and fatigue

• Headaches

• Difficulty concentrating

• Dizziness or nausea

The Connection Between BVD and Headaches

When your eyes are not working together properly, it can cause a strain on the visual system, leading to headaches. This strain can manifest in several ways:
 

• Eye Strain and Fatigue: The constant effort required to keep your eyes focused and aligned can lead to eye strain and fatigue, which can trigger headaches.

• Muscle Tension: The muscles responsible for eye movement and focusing can become tense and strained, leading to tension-type headaches.

• Neurological Factors: The visual system is closely connected to the brain, and the strain caused by BVD can trigger neurological responses that contribute to headache symptoms.

Understanding Vision Therapy

Vision therapy is a specialized form of treatment that can help address binocular vision disorders and the associated symptoms, including headaches. Vision therapy is a non-invasive, customized program of eye exercises and activities designed to improve the coordination and function of your visual system. The goal of vision therapy is to retrain your visual system, improving the way your eyes work together and reducing the strain and fatigue that can contribute to headaches.
 

How Vision Therapy Can Help Treat Binocular Vision Disorder and Alleviate Headaches

Vision therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for binocular vision disorders and the associated symptoms, including headaches. By addressing the underlying issues with your visual system, vision therapy can provide lasting relief from headache pain.
 

• Improved Eye Teaming and Coordination: Vision therapy exercises can help train your eyes to work together more efficiently, reducing the strain and fatigue that can lead to headaches.

• Enhanced Visual Stamina: The exercises and activities in vision therapy can improve your visual stamina, allowing you to engage in visual tasks for longer periods without experiencing eye strain or fatigue.

• Reduced Muscle Tension: By improving the coordination and function of the eye muscles, vision therapy can help alleviate the muscle tension that can contribute to tension-type headaches.

In order to see significant improvements in your visual function and reduce headache symptoms, it is crucial to schedule a comprehensive evaluation from an optometrist who specializes in binocular vision and can tailor a treatment plan to your specific needs. Alongside vision therapy, a functional vision evaluation can determine whether specialized lenses, prisms, or tints could provide additional therapeutic benefits.

Get Started with New Horizons Vision Therapy Center Today

If you suffer from persistent or recurring headaches, consider the potential benefits of vision therapy. By addressing the underlying issues with your visual system, vision therapy can provide a holistic, non-invasive approach to managing your headache symptoms and improving your overall quality of life.
 

At New Horizons Vision Therapy Center, we are committed to helping patients find relief from headaches and other vision-related issues. Our treatment options include specialized lenses, prisms, tints, and personalized vision therapy. Contact our Waunakee or Waukesha, Wisconsin offices at (608) 849-4040 to schedule a consultation and discover how we can help improve your vision and overall well-being.