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Recognizing the Signs of BVD in Children
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Recognizing the Signs of BVD in Children

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Childhood is a period of learning and growing, a time in which children become more familiar with their bodies and capabilities. Along with this discovery process comes a good amount of clumsiness and awkwardness as children learn to navigate their surroundings. If your child seems more klutzy than other children, however, or starts displaying other concerning symptoms such as dizziness and nausea, headaches or learning difficulties, they may be going through more than an awkward phase. They could have Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD).

What Is BVD?

Binocular Vision Dysfunction is a condition that results from a very small misalignment of the eyes. Because it’s still unfamiliar, many parents often don’t recognize the signs and symptoms of BVD for what they are. Many have never even heard of the condition, and thus don’t realize that when their clumsy child frequently experiences motion sickness or bumps into walls and doorways, they’re exhibiting some of the warning signs of BVD. Your child may be struggling with this condition if they regularly display any of the following symptoms:

Physical:

  • Sore, achy eyes that hurt all the time or just when moving

  • Headaches, migraines or facial pain

  • Upset stomach and nausea

Visual:

  • Experiencing blurred vision or eye fatigue when looking at the chalkboard, reading or working on a computer

  • Needing to close or cover one eye to see more clearly

  • Light sensitivity

  • Frequently losing their spot or skipping lines when reading

  • Shadowed or double vision

Learning:

  • Verbal skills that far surpass reading skills

  • Neurobehavioral issues such as ADHD or ADD

  • Problems with reading comprehension

  • Learning disabilities such as dyslexia

Poor Coordination:

  • Demonstrating general clumsiness

  • Frequently bumping into other people, walls and furniture

  • Trouble catching moving objects such as frisbees and balls

Problems with Motion:

  • Car sickness

  • Motion sickness or nausea on moving play equipment

  • Problems reading in the car

Social:

  • Often playing alone or in small groups

  • Feeling anxious and being overly clingy with parents, particularly in crowds

  • Displaying nervousness

With so many symptoms that can overlap with other conditions, it’s easy to understand why BVD is often misdiagnosed. Fortunately, the doctors at Vision Specialists of Michigan have the specialized training, equipment and experience to test for this and other binocular vision conditions and determine if your child’s issues are being caused by BVD. If this turns out to be the case, the treatment method is as simple as prescribing a pair of glasses with aligning micro-prism lenses. If you think your child may have BVD, give us a call today at (248) 258-9000 or fill out our BVD questionnaire.

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Dr. Sandy DiPonio earned her optometry degree from Illinois College of Optometry in 1996. She is a highly skilled and experienced eye care professional dedicated to giving her patients of all ages excellent and compassionate care. She has a wide variety of experience in binocular vision, pediatric and adult eye care, ocular disease and contact lens fitting. She strives to provide each of her patients the best quality of life they can achieve with their vision through knowledge and education of treatment options.

Dr. DiPonio is a member of the American Optometric Society and Michigan Optometric Society.

Dr. Sally Hoey has been practicing optometry since graduating from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001. During her time in optometry school, she developed an interest in binocular vision, culminating in a senior thesis involving binocular vision.

Prior to joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, Dr. Hoey specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of vision-related learning problems as well as other binocular vision disorders. Her other areas of interest include specialty contact lens fittings and treating dry eye. Dr. Hoey strives to provide her patients with clear, comfortable vision while meeting their individual needs at the same time.

Dr. Hoey had the opportunity to provide eye care on an optometric mission trip to Guyana, South America and vision screenings at a local medical clinic. She is a member of the American Optometric Association, Michigan Optometric Association, Metropolitan Detroit Optometric Society and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

Dr. Jennifer Place graduated with honors from Michigan College of Optometry in 2001.

Before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan, she specialized in treating pediatric and adult patients with binocular vision disorders and vision-related learning problems, as well as fitting specialty contact lenses and managing various types of ocular disease. She enjoys working with patients with unique visual needs, and she takes great pride in providing all patients with highly customized care.

Dr. Place has volunteered for Opening Eyes, a program that provides eye exams to the athletes of the Michigan Special Olympics, and she participated in an international mission to St. Lucia to provide eye care to those in need. Dr. Place is a member of the Detroit Optometric Society, the Michigan Optometric Association, the American Optometric Association, the College of Vision Development, and the Optometric Extension Program Foundation.

Dr. Mary Jo Ference has been practicing optometry since 1990 upon graduating from Ferris State University- Michigan College of Optometry, and is certified in Low Vision Rehabilitation. She has worked at Sinai-Grace Hospital systems for over 20 years before joining Vision Specialists of Michigan in 2013 to work with binocular vision disorders. Her clinical areas of expertise include visual rehabilitation of pediatric and adult patients who have suffered from brain trauma, injury or disease. She has taught both optometry and ophthalmology residents at Sinai Grace Hospital. Dr. Ference has sat on numerous boards, including Sinai Grace Hospital, Berry Out-Patient Surgical Center, and Seedlings Braille Books for the Blind. She is actively involved in area school districts to provide education, training and access for students, teachers, OT’s and PT’s to eye care service rehabilitation information. Dr. Ference has lectured extensively nationally and internationally.

Dr. Debby Feinberg began practicing Optometry in Oakland County in 1983, upon graduating from Illinois College of Optometry. She joined her father, Dr. Paul C. Feinberg, at Mall Optical Center, which was located in Summit Place Mall.

Since 1995 Dr. Feinberg has been developing the field of NeuroVisual Medicine which is the optometric subspecialty that identifies and treats neurological / medical symptoms that originate directly or indirectly in the visual system.

Dr. Feinberg has been performing pioneering work with Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), a condition where a vision misalignment (frequently subtle) creates difficulties with the two eyes working together to create a single 3-dimensional image, and difficulties with the two eyes following that image as it moves.

The symptoms caused by BVD are not usually associated with problems with the visual system, and include headache, dizziness, anxiety and panic, persistent post-concussive symptoms, gait instability and balance problems, frequent falls, neck pain, motion sickness, nausea, and reading and learning problems.

In 2004. Dr. Feinberg established Vision Specialists of Birmingham, specifically designing the practice to accommodate the needs of the NeuroVisual Medicine patient.

In 2011, the office moved to its current location in Bloomfield Hills and updated its name to Vision Specialists of Michigan.