At one point or another, we’ll all experience headaches. They’re common ailments caused by things like stress, illnesses, and tension. But did you know that problems with the visual system rooted in neurological disorders can also cause headaches?
Grand Developmental Vision Institute in Winnipeg offers neuro-optometric rehabilitation for neuro-visual issues caused by strokes, head injuries and other neurological problems.
The Definition of Visual Problems
The visual system allows us to see and process visual information. Visual system problems occur when the eyes or parts of the brain that deal with vision malfunction. This impacts the brain’s ability to interpret the visual messages sent by the eyes. Blurred vision, double vision, visual field defects, color blindness, and eye strain are some of the most common symptoms of visual system dysfunction.
Visual System Problems That Cause Headaches
Many visual system issues can result in painful headaches. This is because the eye muscles experience strain when trying to focus or process visual information.
- Accommodative dysfunction occurs when the eyes have difficulty focusing, resulting in blurriness or double vision and eye strain. This can trigger headaches as the eye muscles work harder to engage the focusing system, leading to discomfort.
- Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD), strabismus (misaligned eyes), and amblyopia (lazy eye) are conditions that affect the way the eyes work together, resulting in symptoms like double vision, blurred vision, eye strain, and headaches when reading or using a computer. This happens because the brain receives conflicting visual information from both eyes.
- Convergence insufficiency is when the eyes are unable to turn inward to focus on close objects, which causes eye strain and double vision. This causes the muscles to overwork, leading to discomfort and headaches.
Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation and Visual System Problems
Neuro-optometric rehabilitation (NOR) is a specialized form of vision therapy that aims to improve visual function in patients affected by neurological problems. This treatment is based on the principle of neuroplasticity, which refers to the brain’s ability to evolve and form new neural networks.
Visual system problems are common in patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or neurological conditions, such as strokes, multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson's disease. Common visual system deficits caused by these conditions include binocular vision problems, visual field loss, visual acuity deficits, visual perception deficits, and eye movement disorders.
NOR corrects these problems through the use of visual rehabilitation exercises, prism lenses, and other vision aids. The result is improved visual function, which can make doing daily tasks much easier.
Neuro-optometrists offer NOR. They start off with an in-depth evaluation of the patient’s eyes and visual system prior to creating a personalized plan that will address their specific needs.
Treat Visual Problems That Cause Headaches in Winnipeg
Headaches caused by vision problems are often overlooked. If you experience frequent headaches, rule out the possibility of neuro-visual problems by booking a functional eye exam at Grand Developmental Vision Institute in Winnipeg.
Our practice serves patients from Winnipeg, Selkirk, Portage La Prairie, and Brandon, Manitoba and surrounding communities.
