Most people assume that if they can “see clearly,” their eyes must be working perfectly. But vision is more than sharpness - it’s coordination. When the eyes struggle to work together, even slightly, the brain works overtime to compensate. This condition is known as binocular vision dysfunction (BVD), and it’s far more common than patients realize.

At Chroma Optics, Dr. Dora Sudarsky is trained in identifying the often subtle signs of BVD and providing modern solutions, including specialty lenses and Newton™ lenses (formerly Neurolens®). Below are the early symptoms many patients overlook.

Persistent Headaches or Facial Pressure

One of the earliest flags of BVD is recurring headaches, especially those that feel like they settle behind the eyes, across the forehead, or along the temples. What many people mistake for “stress headaches” can actually be the brain straining to force misaligned eyes to work together.

Difficulty Focusing or Staying Engaged

Trouble concentrating while reading, studying, or working at a computer is a common but underrated symptom. Many patients describe needing to reread lines or feeling mentally fatigued far sooner than they should. This cognitive drag stems from unstable eye coordination, not a lack of attention or motivation.

Words That Move, Blur, or Shift on the Page

Subtle movement of print - letters that swim, blur, or bounce - is often dismissed as “tired eyes.” In reality, it can be one of the clearest early signs of BVD. When the eyes cannot maintain proper alignment, your visual system struggles to stabilize what you see.

Light Sensitivity That Doesn’t Match the Environment

If normal indoor lighting feels harsh or screen brightness becomes uncomfortable, the root cause may be visual misalignment. This sensitivity occurs because the visual system is already working harder than it should.

Frequent Neck or Shoulder Tension

It may not seem related to vision, but it is. When the eyes are misaligned, many patients unconsciously tilt or adjust their head to compensate. Over time, this leads to chronic tension in the neck, shoulders, and upper back - one of the most commonly missed symptoms of BVD.

Motion Sickness or Dizziness

Even mild misalignment between the eyes can disrupt balance and spatial perception. Patients often experience sensations of disequilibrium, motion sickness during car rides, or vertigo-like episodes without identifying a clear cause.

How Chroma Optics Treats BVD

Our eye doctor in Burlington uses specialized testing to measure eye misalignment with remarkable accuracy. From there, treatment may specialty senses. These customized lenses are crafted to correct misalignment and relieve the strain placed on the visual system. They often provide immediate relief for patients who have struggled for years.

Newton™ lenses are an advanced option designed to correct misalignment at varying distances - near, intermediate, and far. Using patented prism technology, they help reduce headaches, eye strain, neck pain, and other symptoms tied to BVD.

Find Out If BVD Is Behind Your Symptoms

Binocular vision dysfunction is silently disruptive, often hiding behind symptoms that seem unrelated. But when your eyes finally work as a coordinated team, everything from reading to driving to simply existing in bright environments feels noticeably easier.

Schedule a comprehensive binocular vision assessment at Chroma Optics and discover whether specialty lenses can help you see and feel better every day. Visit our office in Burlington, Vermont, or call (802) 497-1676 to book an appointment today.