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Neck Ache and Head Tilt: signs of a subtle vision misalignment
Home Icon / Blog / Neck Ache and Head Tilt: signs of a subtle vision misalignment

Neck Ache and Head Tilt: signs of a subtle vision misalignment

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Neck ache and head tilt: signs of a subtle vision misalignment

Just about everyone has experienced a sore neck at one time or another. More often than not it’s because we slept too long in a position that our neck muscles didn’t appreciate. For others it may be the after effect of an accident like a car collision or a jerky amusement park ride. But if you’re one of those whose neck ache doesn’t resolve and feels achy constantly, it may be a result of a subtle vision misalignment.

When the eyes don’t align correctly, the brain has to work the eye muscles extra hard to regain proper alignment. The price for this extra eye muscle work, though, is a big pain. Literally. Some people suffer from headaches. Others, light sensitivity. Still others, dizziness or nausea. Sometimes all of those. And according to the Vision Specialists Institute, at least 10% of our country’s population has a vision misalignment. That’s more than 32 million people!

Another common symptom and tell-tale sign of a subtle vision misalignment? You guessed it: neck aches. If you find yourself rubbing your neck as you’re working at your computer or after driving, or really any time you try to focus on a task, it could be because your eyes aren’t working seamlessly as a team. They’re struggling to align the images which means your body may be compensating by tilting your head ever-so-slightly so the images do align.

Take out your driver’s license or flip through some photos of yourself. Do you see a pattern of a head tilt, even slight, in the photos? This is one of the biggest tell-tales of a subtle vision misalignment. Your body is trying to align your eyes but in the process it causes a different problem: sore necks and other symptoms.

So, tell us: how does that driver’s license photo look? If you aren’t sure, tell a friend or family member to keep an eye on your head position for a few days and to let you know if they spot your head tilting to one side when talking or working.

Not everyone who has a subtle vision misalignment will tilt their head noticeably, but it’s usually a good indicator that their vision should be looked at by a NeuroVisual Specialist. Visit IsItMyEyes.com to find out if your head tilt, neck ache, headache, or other symptoms could be caused by a vision misalignment.

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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.