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Home » Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation » Dizziness & Balance Problems » Q&A on Dizziness & Vestibular Dysfunction with Dr. Todd

Q&A on Dizziness & Vestibular Dysfunction with Dr. Todd

thumbnail Dizziness and Balance Problems.jpgWhat would you say is the driving factor behind dizziness and a vision problem?

A mismatch in timing between the eye movements & vestibular (inner ear). If they are out of sync it can activate the vagus nerve which goes to the stomach causing nausea.

How does vision therapy treat vestibular dysfunction or is it just treating vision problems?

The yoked prism lenses can often help vestibular dysfunction, especially when someone has undergone vestibular therapy and they are still experiencing dizziness or vertigo. The prisms can change the timing of light to the midbrain, which is the origin of the nerves to the eye muscles that coordinate with the inner ear for balance.

The prisms help even with the eyes closed since light passes through closed eyelids! One of our evaluations for the vertical prisms is to have a person stand on a dense foam pad and close their eyes. In many cases a person will be very unstable and wobbly with their eyes closed. For a number of those patients, when they put on the vertical prisms and close their eyes, they are immediately more stable. This is why prisms can make a drastic change instantly to your dizziness and balance.

For example, a male patient in March 2022 came in with tinnitus, a constant ringing in his ears, and we successfully reduced his tinnitus by 80% with yoked prisms

If you have any vestibular dysfunction or dizziness, we recommend a functional vision evaluation to help you recover your balance sooner.