Balance is a complex process that depends on three key systems: the visual system, vestibular system (inner ear), and the somatosensory system (sensation from the body). Of these three systems, vision plays a particularly important role in maintaining balance. Your eyes gather information about your surroundings and send it to your brain, allowing you to perceive things like depth, distance, and motion. This helps you stay upright and adjust your movements accordingly.

A Simple Balance Test

Here’s an easy way to test how much vision affects your balance:

1. Stand with your feet together and keep your eyes open for 30 seconds. Notice how much your body sways.
2. Now, close your eyes and try the same test for 30 seconds. Observe any changes in stability.

Most people feel less stable and experience increased swaying with their eyes closed. Without visual input, your body has to rely on the vestibular and somatosensory systems, which makes balancing more challenging.

Improving Balance Through Vision Training

If vision is affecting your balance, it's important to train your visual system. In physical therapy, exercises are customized based on your current balance level, and difficulty gradually increases as you improve. Some examples include:

• Start by standing with eyes open, then progress to standing with eyes closed.
• Balance on one leg, first with eyes open, then with eyes closed.
• Try dynamic exercises, such as walking while turning your head in different directions.

These exercises don’t improve eyesight, but they help your eyes and brain work together to process visual information more effectively, ultimately improving your balance.

Compensation for Declining Vision

As vision tends to decline with age, it’s vital to ensure this does not negatively impact balance. Balance exercises can strengthen the vestibular and somatosensory systems to compensate for reduced vision. For example:

• Surface Training: Practice walking or standing on various surfaces, such as hard, soft, even, or uneven ground.
• Strengthening Exercises: Focus on strengthening muscles around the hips and ankles to improve both stationary (static) and moving (dynamic) stability.

Customized Rehabilitation for Balance Issues

If you're experiencing balance problems, our Doctors of Physical Therapy can assess the underlying causes and create a personalized rehabilitation program. This plan will target the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory systems to restore your balance. After completing therapy, your physical therapist will provide exercises to continue at home, ensuring your balance continues to improve and prevent future issues.

If you’re ready to improve your balance, schedule an evaluation with one of our skilled physical therapists today. Don’t ignore your vertigo or dizziness—schedule a FREE 10-minute consultation with one of our balance specialists here.