{"id":16665,"date":"2021-08-05T09:20:21","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T09:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=16665"},"modified":"2021-08-05T09:29:55","modified_gmt":"2021-08-05T09:29:55","slug":"bvd-and-sinus-headaches","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-binocular-visual-dysfunction\/bvd-and-sinus-headaches\/","title":{"rendered":"BVD and Sinus Headaches"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Could a sinus headache be caused by a vision problem? Up to 20% of the population suffer from Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD).\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-binocular-visual-dysfunction\/\">Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD<\/a>) is a misalignment of the eyes that can cause pain similar to a\u00a0 sinus headache.<\/p>\n<p><b>Headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, and reading difficulties can all be caused by anything that hinders our eyes from focusing properly, especially eye muscle strain<\/b>.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-eye-health\/how-does-the-eye-work\/eye-anatomy-external-parts-of-the-eye\/\">extraocular muscles<\/a> allow you to look up, down, and side to side using your eyes. They respond to brain signals to regulate the eyes, focusing both eyes in the same exact direction.<\/p>\n<p>When the eyes are completely aligned, fusion occurs, allowing both eyes to deliver a single, clear image to the brain.<\/p>\n<p><b>When the eyes are misaligned, the visual problem binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) occurs.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>This misalignment prevents the brain from fusing the two images sent by the eyes into a single, clear image. Double vision or eye strain are common side effects. Vertigo, migraines, and even what appear to be sinus headaches can all be caused by this misalignment of the eyes.<\/p>\n<p><b>If you suspect you have BVD, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">schedule an appointment with an eye doctor near you<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><strong>SEE RELATED:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-binocular-visual-dysfunction\/bvd-and-motion-sickness\/\">BVD and Motion Sickness<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"practice-search-widget\">\n\t\t<h3>Find an eye doctor near you<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t<form class=\"practice-search-form practice-search-form-widget\" action=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/results\/\" method=\"get\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"page\" class=\"practice-search-page\">\n\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_latitude\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"address_longitude\">\n\n\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"address\" class=\"practice-search-address\" placeholder=\"City, Surburb or Address\" value=\"\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distance\" value=\"100\" class=\"practice-search-distance\">\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<button type=\"submit\" class=\"practice-search-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 19 19\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M10.6796 0.130005C9.15708 0.130059 7.66615 0.5646 6.38198 1.38258C5.09781 2.20057 4.07373 3.36803 3.43004 4.74783C2.78634 6.12763 2.54976 7.66246 2.74808 9.17205C2.9464 10.6816 3.57139 12.1033 4.54964 13.27L0.729639 17.08C0.6364 17.1732 0.562439 17.2839 0.511979 17.4058C0.461519 17.5276 0.435547 17.6581 0.435547 17.79C0.435547 17.9219 0.461519 18.0524 0.511979 18.1743C0.562439 18.2961 0.6364 18.4068 0.729639 18.5C0.917942 18.6883 1.17334 18.7941 1.43964 18.7941C1.5715 18.7941 1.70207 18.7681 1.82389 18.7177C1.94571 18.6672 2.0564 18.5932 2.14964 18.5L5.99964 14.62C7.35406 15.6038 8.98566 16.1324 10.6596 16.13C12.7814 16.13 14.8162 15.2871 16.3165 13.7869C17.8168 12.2866 18.6596 10.2517 18.6596 8.13C18.6596 6.00827 17.8168 3.97344 16.3165 2.47315C14.8162 0.97286 12.7814 0.130005 10.6596 0.130005H10.6796ZM10.6796 14.13C9.49295 14.13 8.33291 13.7781 7.34622 13.1188C6.35952 12.4595 5.59049 11.5225 5.13636 10.4261C4.68224 9.32975 4.56342 8.12335 4.79493 6.95946C5.02644 5.79558 5.59788 4.72648 6.437 3.88736C7.27611 3.04825 8.34521 2.4768 9.5091 2.24529C10.673 2.01378 11.8794 2.1326 12.9757 2.58673C14.0721 3.04085 15.0092 3.80989 15.6685 4.79658C16.3277 5.78328 16.6796 6.94332 16.6796 8.13C16.6796 9.7213 16.0475 11.2474 14.9223 12.3726C13.7971 13.4979 12.2709 14.13 10.6796 14.13Z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t<button type=\"button\" class=\"practice-search-use-my-location\">\n\t\t\tSearch near me\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\n\t<\/form>\n\n\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<h2><b>Vertical Heterophoria<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The most common type of BVD is vertical heterophoria (VH), which occurs when the eyes are not aligned vertically.<\/p>\n<p>In some people, one eye may be physically higher than the other. VH patients&#8217; extraocular muscles can get overworked as they try to align their eyes (fusion) and avoid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/neuro-optometry\/vision-and-brain-injuries\/double-vision-diplopia\/\">double vision<\/a>. Over time, the overused muscles get fatigued and stressed, resulting in VH symptoms.<\/p>\n<p>Lightheadedness, blurred vision, headaches, temple pain and dizziness are common complaints among VH patients.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Symptoms of BVD<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>In addition to dizziness and headaches, patients with BVD may experience:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b>Visual symptoms<\/b> \u2013 Shadowed or overlapping vision; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/vision-therapy\/neuro-optometry\/vision-and-brain-injuries\/traumatic-brain-injury-and-neuro-optometry\/light-sensitivity\/\">sensitivity to glare or light<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><b>Vestibular symptoms<\/b> \u2013 Nausea, motion sickness, poor depth perception, drifting to one side when walking.<\/li>\n<li><b>Pain<\/b> \u2013 Headaches, especially in the area surrounding the eyes, forehead, temples, and sinuses (it feels similar to a sinus headache). You may experience pain when moving your eyes, neck, and upper back.<\/li>\n<li><b>Psychological symptoms<\/b> \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-binocular-visual-dysfunction\/bvd-symptoms-and-treatment\/bvd-can-cause-anxiety\/\">Anxiety<\/a> in high-ceilinged environments, such as shopping malls or big-box stores; feeling frightened or overwhelmed in a crowded environment. These signs and symptoms can be mistaken for agoraphobia or generalized anxiety disorder.<\/li>\n<li><b>Reading problems<\/b> \u2013 Reading comprehension issues, losing one&#8217;s place while reading, words bouncing around on the page, and difficulties focusing on text. When these symptoms appear in children, they are frequently misdiagnosed as ADD\/ADHD.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>How to treat BVD<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Your eye doctor will perform a neurovisual exam to examine you for mild visual misalignments linked with BVD as part of the treatment for BVD.<\/p>\n<p>Your eye doctor may prescribe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-binocular-visual-dysfunction\/bvd-symptoms-and-treatment\/micro-prisms-and-bvd\/\">prisms<\/a> to be inserted onto the lenses of your glasses if a misalignment is discovered.<\/p>\n<p>The two pictures received by the eyes are adjusted by prismatic glasses, allowing fusion to occur without overworking the extraocular muscles. Blurred vision, dizziness, headaches, and other symptoms should disappear or be significantly reduced once prismatic glasses are applied.<\/p>\n<p><strong>LEARN MORE:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-binocular-visual-dysfunction\/\">Guide to Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/practice-search\/\">Schedule a comprehensive eye exam<\/a> with an eye doctor near you and kiss your \u2018sinus\u2019 headaches goodbye forever.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Could a sinus headache be caused by a vision problem? Up to 20% of the population suffer from Binocular Visual Dysfunction (BVD).\u00a0 Binocular vision dysfunction<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1206,"featured_media":16669,"parent":12492,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16665","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BVD and Sinus Headaches - Optometrists.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/general-practice-optometry\/guide-to-binocular-visual-dysfunction\/bvd-and-sinus-headaches\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BVD and Sinus Headaches - Optometrists.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Could a sinus headache be caused by a vision problem? 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