Is Your Dry Eye Really Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD)?

Dry eye disease and binocular vision dysfunction share similar symptoms like eye strain, blurred vision, and fatigue, making them easy to confuse or experience together. A detailed visual skills assessment helps identify the underlying cause of your discomfort so you can get the right care.

Your eyes feel tired, irritated, or uncomfortable after a long day at the computer. You reach for eye drops, hoping for relief, but the discomfort keeps coming back. Could something other than dry eye be contributing to your symptoms?

Dry eye disease and binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) are different conditions, but they can share symptoms such as blurry vision, eye strain, and difficulty concentrating on visual tasks. You can also experience both conditions at the same time.

At A B See Optometry and Vision Therapy in Kelowna, we look beyond how clearly you see to assess how your eyes focus, track, and work together. Understanding what's causing your discomfort is the first step toward finding appropriate care.

What Is the Difference Between Dry Eye and BVD?

Dry eye disease occurs when your eyes don't produce enough tears or when your tears evaporate too quickly. This can affect the eye's surface, causing irritation and fluctuations in vision.

Common dry eye symptoms include:

• Burning, stinging, or gritty sensations
• Redness and irritation
• Watery eyes
• Blurry or fluctuating vision
• Discomfort when wearing contact lenses

Binocular vision dysfunction, on the other hand, involves difficulties with how your eyes coordinate or maintain focus together.

Your brain normally combines information from both eyes into one image. When your eyes struggle to work together efficiently, everyday activities like reading or using a computer may require additional effort.

Common BVD symptoms include:

• Eye strain and visual fatigue
• Headaches during reading or screen use
• Blurry or double vision
• Difficulty maintaining focus
• Dizziness or motion sensitivity
• Trouble judging distances

The distinction matters because treatments that address the tear film won't necessarily resolve an eye coordination problem.

Why Do Dry Eye and BVD Symptoms Overlap?

Both conditions can make visually demanding activities uncomfortable, particularly when you're reading, studying, or spending extended periods looking at screens.

For example, people often blink less frequently during concentrated screen use. Reduced blinking can contribute to tear evaporation and worsen dry eye symptoms.

At the same time, prolonged near work requires your eyes to maintain focus and coordinate their movements. If you have an underlying binocular vision problem, these activities may trigger headaches, blurred vision, or eye fatigue.

The result? You might assume that all your discomfort comes from dry eyes when your visual coordination also needs attention.

However, persistent symptoms don't automatically mean you have BVD. Dry eye, uncorrected prescriptions, migraines, and other medical conditions can produce similar complaints. A thorough assessment helps identify which factors may be involved.

How Can You Tell If Your Symptoms Are Caused by BVD?

Pay attention to when your symptoms appear and what makes them worse.

Burning, grittiness, and irritation may point toward dry eye disease, particularly when symptoms worsen in dry environments.

Headaches during reading, intermittent double vision, or difficulty maintaining focus may suggest a binocular vision concern.

But symptoms alone aren't enough to make a diagnosis. Some patients experience both conditions, and others have entirely different causes for their discomfort.

That's why a detailed EPIC eye exam is valuable, especially when your symptoms persist despite using lubricating eye drops or updating your prescription.

How Does We Assess Binocular Vision Dysfunction?

At A B See Optometry and Vision Therapy, our eye care team evaluates more than your ability to read an eye chart.

Our Visual Skills Assessment examines how your eyes focus, track objects, and coordinate during everyday visual activities.

Depending on your symptoms and examination findings, your optometrist may evaluate:

• Eye teaming: How effectively both eyes work together.
• Focusing ability: How your eyes adjust and maintain clear vision at different distances.
• Eye tracking: How accurately your eyes follow moving objects or shift between targets.
• Visual coordination: Whether difficulties with binocular function may contribute to your symptoms.

If we identify a binocular vision problem, we'll explain the findings and discuss appropriate next steps.

These may include vision therapy, prescription lenses, or prism lenses, depending on your individual needs.

Vision therapy is not a treatment for dry eye disease itself, and not every patient with BVD requires the same approach.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dry Eye and BVD

Can You Have Both Dry Eye and Binocular Vision Dysfunction?

Yes. Dry eye and BVD can occur together. If both conditions contribute to your discomfort, addressing only one may leave some symptoms unresolved.

Can Eye Drops Treat Binocular Vision Dysfunction?

Lubricating eye drops can help relieve certain dry eye symptoms, but they don't correct problems with eye coordination or focusing. Persistent symptoms may warrant further evaluation.

Can You Have BVD Even With 20/20 Vision?

Yes. Visual acuity measures how clearly you see, but it doesn't fully assess how your eyes work together. Someone with 20/20 vision may still experience focusing or binocular coordination difficulties.

Get to the Bottom of Your Eye Discomfort

If your eyes regularly feel tired, your vision fluctuates, or reading and screen use leave you with headaches, it's worth finding out why.

At A B See Optometry and Vision Therapy, our Kelowna team takes the time to listen to your concerns and assess whether visual function may be contributing to your symptoms.

Book your eye care appointment or call 236-420-7222 to discuss your symptoms and determine which assessment is right for you.