Most people know what ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is. More than 9.4 % of children between 2 to 17 in the U.S. have an ADHD diagnosis. But, did you know that many symptoms of ADHD are the same as those of Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD)? Now, some children may actually have both of these, but a lot of the time they are misdiagnosed with ADHD when they actually have BVD. Now, it can be tough to tell which one of these your child has and actually about 50% of patients with an ADHD diagnosis have some sort of vision problem that makes it even harder to learn.
ADHD Symptoms
First, let’s talk about symptoms of each ADHD and BVD so we know what to look for. However, in order to diagnose someone with ADHD they must have 5 or more of these symptoms:
-Easily distracted
-Doesn’t seem to pay attention when being spoken to
-Forgetful
-Fidgets
-Talks a lot
-Difficulty keeping their attention on a task
-Unorganized
-Restless
-Interrupts others
-Difficulty waiting their turn
What is BVD?
Now, binocular vision dysfunction is where the eyes are not aligned correctly. So, they can be misaligned vertically, horizontally, or both. Obviously, this makes it harder for the eyes to work as a team. However, the eyes then have to work hard to straighten themselves up with can lead to eye strain, headaches, dizziness, and double vision. Other symptoms of BVD that overlap with ADHD are:
-Trouble concentrating
-Avoiding visually demanding tasks
-Mood swings
-Anxiety
-Low reading comprehension
-Trouble with reading and losing their place
How is BVD Treated?
Now, the best way to treat BVD is with glasses made with prism put in them. The prism will be oriented in a specific direction depending on the specific eye misalignment of a patient. Then, the prism will move images you see to where the eyes naturally prefer to be positioned so that there is less strain on the eye muscles. Your optometrist can measure this in the office. The prism will not make the glasses look any different than normal glasses without prism.
So, if you or your child feel like you have been misdiagnosed with ADHD or you feel like you also may have BVD, please call and schedule an appointment to be evaluated.