Vision Specialists of Michigan
call or text us

It may be your eyes:
Take The Test
How to Perform the 5-Minute Cover Test
Home Icon / Educational / How to Perform the 5-Minute Cover Test

How to Perform the 5-Minute Cover Test

by

Many people have experienced what they believe to be sinus pain and discomfort, only to be told by the medical professionals from which they seek help that their sinuses are clear. Others experience headaches, dizziness, anxiety or problems with balance, and no underlying cause can be found. This is understandably upsetting and frustrating to these patients, but not uncommon. It is because there is another condition known as Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) that can bring about all of these symptoms. Fortunately, there is a way to tell the difference: the 5-Minute Cover Test.

How to Perform the 5-Minute Cover Test

About the 5-Minute Cover Test

This simple test requires no special equipment and can easily be performed at home. The next time you feel symptoms, take a moment to rate the pain you are feeling: one being a mild ache, and 10 being a pounding headache. After rating your pain, cover one eye or the other with your hand, find an object to focus on in the distance and relax. After five minutes, still covering your eye, rate your pain again. If the pain seems to have lessened, there’s a good possibility that the issue isn’t originating from your sinuses at all, but rather from your eyes. If the test doesn’t seem to make a difference in your pain level, try it again, covering your other eye just to be sure.

Check out this graphic for more information about performing the 5-Minute Cover Test.

The Basics of BVD

In order for your visual system to work smoothly and seamlessly, the eyes must be in perfect alignment. This is what enables you to see one clear, focused image rather than a separate image in each eye (double vision). When your eyes are misaligned even slightly, the resulting double images will put your brain into overdrive as it works to correct the misalignment. It does this by forcing the small muscles in your eyes that control eye movement to move the eyes back into the proper position. While this is good in the sense that it helps you maintain clear eyesight, it’s challenging for eye muscles. The longer this misalignment goes on and the brain is forced to compensate for it, the more strain and pressure is put on those muscles. Eventually BVD will develop, along with some or all of its accompanying symptoms:

  • Problems with balance
  • Pain and pressure around the eyes
  • Migraines
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Trouble reading
  • Headaches and dizziness
  • Anxiety, particularly in crowds

Find Help at Vision Specialists of Michigan

At Vision Specialists of Michigan, we perform specialized NeuroVisual Examinations that help identify the slight misalignments that can lead to BVD. If, after performing a 5-minute cover test, you suspect BVD could be a problem, give us a call at (248) 258-9000 to schedule an exam. We’ll explain more about the special aligning lenses we use to treat BVD and other binocular vision disorders.

X
Watch the Latest Video Testimonials
https://youtu.be/b_kfg5L6IDE

Daily Stomach Ache, Headache, Nausea:

Christine's Binocular Vision Dysfunction Story
https://youtu.be/t3RzgL_Dtqo

Headaches and Learning Challenges:

Kali's Binocular Vision Dysfunction Story
https://youtu.be/LEe1QpMOcV8

Years of Daily Headaches, Nausea, and Dizziness:

Cynthia's Binocular Vision Dysfunction
Testimonial Videos
Educational Videos
It may be your eyes
  • American Academy Optometry
  • American Optometric Association
  • Michigan Optometric Association
  • VEDA
  • Neuro Optometry Rehabilitation Association
Take The Test

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.