Feeling dizzy, unsteady, or like the room is spinning?

If all of this sounds familiar to you, there is a chance it could be your eyes!

Your vision plays a huge role in your balance. In fact, your sense of stability relies on three key systems in your body:

• Inner ear: The balance organs inside your inner ear detect movement and head position.
• Body sensors: Sensors in your skin, muscles, and joints tell your brain where your body is in space. This includes the pressure you feel under your feet or the contact of your legs against a chair.
• Vision:  Your eyes help orient yourself by providing depth, spatial awareness, and information about your surroundings.

When one system isn’t working quite right, the others have to work harder. This is when dizziness, vertigo, or a feeling of being unbalanced can manifest.

What causes it?

Several conditions can disturb these finely tuned systems. An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) such as a stroke or concussion can interrupt how your brain processes balance information. Any neck injury such as whiplash can also cause vertigo as it affects how your neck and eyes work together to stabilise your vision.

How we can help

Our behavioural optometrist, Sarah Lang, is accredited in neuro-optometric care.

We recommend a neuro-optometric assessment first, which goes beyond basic sight testing. Sarah will assess how your visual system integrates with your brain and balance systems, then work together with you to address any underlying visual causes of your vertigo. 

Your personalised plan could include:

• Custom glasses that reduce balance problems (including prism lenses or colour filters to calm hypersensitivity in the brain).
• Vision therapy to retrain how your eyes and brain respond to movement, improve peripheral vision use, and restore natural reflexes that keep you steady.

Working with other professionals

If your symptoms stem from neck pain, whiplash, or any other specific conditions (such as Meniere’s) we recommend seeing the appropriate specialist to get it treated before you come in for vision therapy. For many people with these conditions, vision therapy won’t make your vertigo completely go away but it can help reduce the symptoms and make living with vertigo more manageable. 

If you’ve been struggling with dizziness, balance issues, or vertigo, book an appointment with Sarah Lang for a comprehensive neuro-optometric assessment. We’ll help uncover how your eyes contribute to your balance and create a personalised plan to get you feeling grounded again.