Can Low Vision Cause Dizziness?

Dizziness and balance issues can be caused by vision disorders such as eye strain and impaired eyesight.

This article discusses how low vision and its difficulties can cause dizziness and balance problems. It also investigates signs and possible reasons. Read our article about low vision therapy.

Dizziness and Balance

A sense of confusion or lightheadedness characterizes dizziness. It is not a disease but rather a sign of an underlying condition, most commonly impacting the ears or eyes.

Dizziness is often expected in older individuals, affecting approximately 30 percent of those over the age of 65 and approximately 20 to 25 percent of working adults.

 

When a person’s balance is off, they may feel dizzy. Three mechanisms collaborate to keep a person balanced:

 

The visual system

Your eyes and their movement educate the brain about the body’s synchronization and placement in space in respect to its surroundings.

 

The proprioceptive system

This sensory system transmits information about body position and motion from muscles and joints to the brain.

 

The vestibular system

The inner ear lets the brain know where the head is located, how it is moving, and how to orient it.

 

Symptoms of Dizziness

A person feeling dizzy with or without balancing issues may have the following symptoms:

Vertigo or a spinning feeling	Fear of falling	Feeling faint	Lightheadedness
Floating or swimming feeling	Unclear vision	Confusion	Disorientation
Throwing up and nausea	Heart rate fluctuations	Blood pressure fluctuations	Anxiety
Headache	Problems with depth perception	Walking in a zigzag pattern	Sensitivity to light
Dual vision	Problems with coordination	An ache in the eyes, face, or neck

 

The Relation Between Impaired Vision and Dizziness

Binocular vision abnormalities are the most common cause of dizziness caused by eye disorders. When the eyes operate together to form a single, consolidated view, this is referred to as binocular vision.

When a person’s eyes are mismatched, the ocular muscles struggle to focus and give clear images to the brain. This might cause eye strain, which can result in dizziness, confusion, and headaches.

Here is a list of various conditions that may cause dizziness (all of the following conditions are vision-related):

• Misalignment of the eyes
• Weakness of the ocular muscles
• TBI (traumatic brain injury)
• Stroke
• Wrong prescription for spectacles

 

The Relation Between Impaired Vision and Balance

Because of the close relationship between the eyes and the vestibular system, eye issues have a negative impact on balance.

Based on the vestibulo-ocular reflex, eyesight plays a vital role in adjusting the vestibular system (VOR). When your body and head are moving, VOR stabilizes the gaze. Therefore, any damage to the VOR can create issues with balance maintenance.

People with low vision are mostly unable to stand on one leg for more than a minute. However, the vestibular system had a bigger effect on balance in persons with untreated refractory faults and impaired vision.

The following conditions can cause vision-related balance issues:

Vertigo	Double vision or hazy vision	TBI (traumatic brain injury)	Concussion
Nystagmus	Hemianopsia	A problem with binocular vision

 

What are Other Causes of Dizziness?

Dizziness can be caused by other various factors, including:

Mild paroxysmal positional vertigo	The disease Ménière’s	Excessive physical activity
Anemia	Thickening or constriction of blood vessels	Low blood sugar levels
Infection of the ear	Dehydration	Transient ischemia attack (TIA)
Stroke	Dizziness caused by movement	Heatstroke
Depression	Using sedatives and antidepressants	Anxiety attack
Anxiety disorder in general	A rapid drop in blood pressure as a result of quickly standing

 

Treatment

Vision-related dizziness and imbalance are tackled with some treatments. However, they are determined by the underlying causes:

 

Eye malalignment problem

An ophthalmologist can evaluate and propose prescription prism eyeglasses to address eye malalignment.

 

Vision issues

This may necessitate the use of spectacles for visual acuity and refraction faults.

 

Inner ear concerns

For abnormalities with the inner ear, a doctor may offer drugs, vestibular therapy, or surgery.

Generally speaking, the following safety and health tips can be beneficial for persons who experience recurrent dizziness:

• When altering posture or stance, move carefully.
• Utilizing a cane or other tools to aid with stability
• When using the stairs, grab the handrails.
• Consuming a nutritious diet
• Consuming a lot of water during the day
• Discussing with a doctor about changing drugs that may be causing the issue
• Avoiding the use of alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine
• Staying away from long, hot baths or showers

 

Does low iron make your vision blurry?

Anemia is specified by a low red blood cell count and the inability of the blood to transport adequate oxygen to essential tissues. This frequently results in weariness or over-tiredness, shortness of breath, headaches, and pale complexion. It may potentially result in a heart attack. Iron deficiency symptoms appear gradually and may be moderate initially, but if not addressed, they might increase. The following are common iron deficiency symptoms:

• Tiredness
• Chills
• Breathing difficulty
• Weakness
• Chest ache
• Concentration problems
• Dizziness
• Bruises
• Pica (a disorder in which people seek non-food substances like ice, chalk, paint, clay, or starch)
• Headaches
• Restless legs syndrome

Anemia can harm the eyes, particularly the retina, the part of the eye that captures pictures and delivers them to the brain. Anemia can sometimes induce eye hemorrhage and vision loss. On a dilated exam, your eye doctor can notice bleeding and parts of the eye that do not have enough oxygen. This can occasionally impair eyesight.

 

Treatment

Anemia treatment involves nutritional supplements and vitamins, including folic acid, iron, and vitamin B12. You should also understand why your blood count is low. Spurting blood ulcers, heavy periods, a lack of iron in the diet, renal illness, or a bad diet are all common reasons. Some patients may require blood transfusions if their condition is severe. If you have anemia and are experiencing vision issues, we recommend seeing your ophthalmologist for a dilated exam. Make sure to bring this up at the start of your next exam! It will assist the doctor in looking for particular alterations that may save your vision.

 

Home Remedies

The following are some home remedies that can be used to prevent or decrease dizziness.

 

Taking breaks during the day to rest the eyes

Our eyes are used for everything. However, we put more strain on the eyes than on other parts of our bodies. So take frequent breaks from using devices or reading small materials like newspapers and periodicals.

 

Observing the 20-20-20 rule

Many people spend long periods of time seated in front of a computer screen. This can cause dizziness. When using a screen, the 20-20-20 rule states that you should stare at an item 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.

Learn about short-sightedness.

 

Performing the Epley maneuver

The Epley maneuver is a series of steps that must be completed. It takes approximately 15 minutes.

A doctor may instruct a patient to perform this three times every day for the next 24 hours or until their symptoms have subsided.

 

Consuming specific foods

Ginger has been used to relieve nausea, vertigo, and motion sickness. Ginkgo, a Chinese herb, can better facilitate blood flow to the brain and alleviate balance problems and dizziness. According to a 2018 study, the plant can reduce dizziness after participants undertake repositioning exercises.

Learn about exercises for vision therapy here.

 

Taking vitamins and minerals

Doctors may advise a person suffering from anemia to take extra iron. Iron-rich foods involve fowls, meat, and dark leafy greens. A study published in 2020 discovered a relationship between vitamin D insufficiency and benign paroxysmal positional dizziness. Taking vitamin D may help to alleviate the dizziness caused by this illness.

 

Drinking water

Dizziness can occur as a result of dehydration. Aside from dizziness, other symptoms of dehydration include decreased urine and fatigue. Drink plenty of water every day to avoid dehydration.

According to a 2015 study, drinking 500 ml of water before meals may reduce postprandial hypotension in older persons. Postprandial hypotension is a dip in blood pressure that occurs immediately after eating a meal and can produce dizziness.

 

Conclusion

Vision is a crucial sense that affects posture and balance. Vestibular and balance disorders, such as vertigo, nausea, and headaches, can be caused by vision abnormalities. If a person believes that their dizziness is caused by an eye disease, they should consult an eye doctor.

If you want to learn about the caregiver’s skills for patient education, read our article.

 

Low Vision Therapy Near me in Las Vegas

Even if you have low vision, you can live a happy life. Satisfactory symptoms do not appear overnight, and you must be patient. At first, you may be unable to operate successfully with a low vision device. In some circumstances, trial and error may be necessary to discover the ideal instrument to improve your quality of life. Nonetheless, positive outcomes will improve your quality of life.

If you live in Las Vegas and have low eyesight, please contact us so that you can have more independence in your life.

You can learn more about different Home Health services.

Learn about the benefits of new tech for people at home.

 

FAQs

What does it mean to have low vision?

You can’t see well, and your problem can not be treated with glasses, surgery, or medication.

Are there symptoms to low vision?

Yes, there are a few of them explained in the article.

Is low vision connected with dizziness?

Yes, they are related; see the article to know what’s the connection.

How should I treat the low vision?

It’s up to the cause of your low vision; see the article, then visit a health specialist.