Can Poor Eyesight Cause Dizziness? | Causes of Double Vision and How to Treat It

The question “Can poor eyesight cause dizziness?” is an important one to ask. In general, double vision is when you see two overlapping images instead of a single, clear image. Double vision can come on suddenly and may cause nausea, dizziness, and headaches. In this article from Batal Specialist Center, we provide a precise answer to the question: can poor eyesight cause dizziness?

If you feel dizzy, distracted, or simply uninterested in reading what’s in front of you, you may be experiencing symptoms related to poor vision. Although dizziness can result from many different causes, vision problems are often overlooked, even though they are sometimes the simplest factor to address to improve your daily balance and comfort.

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Can Poor Eyesight Really Cause Dizziness?

Yes. While dizziness can occur for many reasons, poor vision and eye strain are among the most common triggers of feeling disoriented. Anything that forces your eye muscles to work harder to focus accurately on an object can lead to dizziness.

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What Causes Vision-Related Dizziness?

Vision-related dizziness can be a sign of uncorrected refractive error that needs glasses or contact lenses. It can also result from excessive use of digital devices (especially prolonged use without breaks). People who constantly strain their eyes to see clearly often experience one or more symptoms, including dizziness.

How Can I Reduce Vision-Related Dizziness?

If you feel dizzy and suspect it is related to your eyes, first make sure you have the correct prescription for glasses or contact lenses. If your prescription is accurate and the problem continues, try to reduce your daily screen time.

Make a printed book the first and last thing you hold in your hands before sleep and after waking, instead of your phone. If you spend a lot of time on your phone, try to put it down every 20 minutes. If you work on a computer, follow the 20–20–20 rule (this can also be applied to smartphone use): every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

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Poor Vision and Dizziness

Dizziness due to eye problems is usually related to binocular vision disorders. Binocular vision is when both eyes work together to produce a single, unified image. When the eyes are misaligned or do not work in harmony, the eye muscles must work harder to focus and provide the brain with clear, matching images. This extra effort can cause eye strain, leading to dizziness, confusion, and headaches.

Conditions that can cause vision-related dizziness include:

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Visual Impairment and Balance

Because of the strong connection between the eyes and the vestibular system (the balance system in the inner ear), eye problems can negatively affect balance. Vision plays a key role in calibrating the vestibular system through the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). The VOR stabilizes your gaze while your head and body are moving. Damage or dysfunction of the VOR can cause significant problems in maintaining balance.

A 2018 study found that people with visual impairment were less likely to be able to stand on one leg for at least one minute. The researchers used this test as an indicator of impaired balance.

An earlier study in 2013 showed that the impact of vestibular disorders on balance was worse in people with uncorrected refractive errors and visual impairment. All of this is closely related to our main question: can poor eyesight cause dizziness?

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Other Causes of Dizziness

Dizziness can also result from many other potential causes, such as:

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Treating Vision-Related Dizziness and Imbalance

Treatment for dizziness and imbalance related to vision depends on the underlying cause.

In general, the following steps can help people who suffer from recurrent dizziness:

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Whatever eye problem you may have, this is a delicate medical condition that requires a thorough eye examination and proper management by a skilled ophthalmologist using effective medical tools and technologies to achieve the best results. Whatever condition is affecting your eyes, you can book an appointment at Batal Specialist Center for a comprehensive eye evaluation and to begin appropriate treatment for your vision problems.