Vertigo, a sensation of spinning or feeling that the world around you is moving, can significantly affect vision. This disorienting feeling impacts how a person perceives their visual environment.
How Vertigo Affects Vision
The visual and vestibular systems work closely together to help the brain understand movement and maintain balance. The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, sends signals to the brain about head movement and spatial orientation. This information combines with visual input and signals from muscles and joints to provide a complete picture of the body’s position in space. When the vestibular system is disrupted, it sends conflicting signals to the brain, which struggles to reconcile this information with what the eyes are seeing.
This conflict often impairs the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), a natural mechanism that stabilizes gaze during head movement. The VOR ensures that as the head moves, the eyes move in the opposite direction, keeping the visual world stable. When the VOR is not functioning correctly, head movements can cause objects to appear blurry, bouncy, or spinning, a phenomenon known as oscillopsia.
Common Visual Disturbances with Vertigo
Individuals experiencing vertigo frequently report various visual symptoms. One common disturbance is oscillopsia, where the visual field appears to oscillate or jiggle, particularly during head movements. This makes it difficult to maintain a steady gaze.
Blurred vision is a frequent complaint, sometimes occurring due to oscillopsia. Difficulty focusing or a general feeling of visual disorientation may also occur. Involuntary eye movements, known as nystagmus, are often present during vertigo episodes. These rapid, uncontrolled eye movements contribute to visual instability. Some individuals might also develop sensitivity to light, known as photophobia, during a vertigo attack.
Underlying Causes of Vertigo with Visual Symptoms
Several conditions that cause vertigo are frequently associated with visual disturbances. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a common inner ear disorder where dislodged calcium crystals in the inner ear send confusing signals to the brain, often triggering brief episodes of vertigo and nystagmus when head position changes. Meniere’s disease, a chronic inner ear condition, can cause severe vertigo along with symptoms like ringing in the ears and hearing loss; some individuals may experience visual disturbances such as spots or flickering lights.
Vestibular migraine can involve a combination of vestibular attacks and visual changes, including visual auras like zigzag lines or bright lights, even without a severe headache. Labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis, both inflammatory conditions affecting the inner ear or vestibular nerve, can lead to prolonged vertigo, imbalance, and visual symptoms such as blurred or double vision. Additionally, issues within the central nervous system, such as a stroke or brain tumor, can cause central vertigo, which may present with different patterns of nystagmus or other visual symptoms like double vision.
When to Seek Medical Attention
Consult a healthcare professional if you experience vertigo accompanied by visual symptoms. While many causes of dizziness are not serious, some visual symptoms can indicate a more urgent underlying condition. Seek immediate medical attention if vertigo and visual symptoms are sudden or accompanied by other concerning signs.
“Red flag” symptoms that warrant urgent evaluation include a new, different, or severe headache, double vision, or loss of vision. Other critical signs are difficulty speaking, weakness or numbness in an arm or leg, or loss of consciousness. These symptoms might signal a stroke or another serious neurological issue. Addressing the underlying cause of vertigo is often key to alleviating the associated visual disturbances.