Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStep 1: Identifying the CauseStep 2: Managing My SymptomsStep 3: Never Stop Advocating
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Step 1: Identifying the Cause
Step 2: Managing My Symptoms
Step 3: Never Stop Advocating
Jessica Pagan, D.C., is a chiropractor who advocates for vestibular disorder awareness and speaks on chronic dizziness and binocular vision dysfunction (BVD).
I vividly remember the day my life went sideways. It was just before lunch one day in November 2019. I had finished with a patient at the medical clinic where I practiced as a chiropractor and was checking my clipboard with patient notes in a hallway. When I looked up, my life went sideways.
My entire visual field shifted right. It was diagonal, as though I was on a heeling ship. Then, I saw static everywhere—like it was snowing—and I couldn’t put together a picture with my eyes. I’d never experienced a sensation like this before, but since it was right before lunch, I brushed it off as hunger related.
However, my office felt off-kilter as I sat down to eat. I felt sick. My heart raced. I told my colleagues that something was wrong and I needed medical help. I called my husband, who picked me up and drove me to the emergency room (ER).
I got to the ER at around 2:30 p.m. and spent nearly 10 hours going through a series of tests until I was sent home just before midnight with insufficient answers.
The ER doctors couldn’t tell me why I felt this way, saying that it was “probably just stress” and that it should go away on its own. But I knew the episode I experienced earlier that day was more than just stress.
Read on to learn more about my symptoms and the steps I took to start feeling better.
Step 1: Identifying What’s Causing My Symptoms
Despite the doctors’ assurance that my symptoms would resolve, I experienced 24/7dizzinessand bouts of cloudy, double-vision for the next three weeks. Everything around me appeared hazy, like I was looking at life through a streaky glass window.
Then, three weeks after my first dizziness episode, I started experiencing fullcentral vision lossfor seconds at a time. I could still see from myperipheral vision, but everything in front of me would go blank. When this happened, I panicked and told my husband to take me back to the hospital, worried that I was having a stroke.
This time, I went through 24 hours of testing with aneurologist(brain and nervous system specialist) and anophthalmologist(medical eye-care specialist). In addition to electrocardiograms (ECGs or EKGs), eye-pressure tests, and others, I was taken to a stroke-observation unit.
The following day, they told me that I hadvertigo(which is a symptom, not a condition), but still weren’t able to tell me why. They suggested I contact anear, nose, and throatdoctor (ENT, another name for an otolaryngologist) for additional testing.
As a healthcare provider, I knew it was essential to establish a diagnosis so I could start proper treatment and get a handle on my condition. I was determined to figure out what was causing these symptoms and figure out how to cure my dizziness.—JESSICA PAGAN
As a healthcare provider, I knew it was essential to establish a diagnosis so I could start proper treatment and get a handle on my condition. I was determined to figure out what was causing these symptoms and figure out how to cure my dizziness.
—JESSICA PAGAN
It wasn’t an easy process—I had multiple appointments and misdiagnoses, and saw numerous specialists before receiving an accurate diagnosis.
I eventually saw a neuro-ophthalmologist, who diagnosed me with a type ofbinocular vision dysfunction(BVD). Binocular vision dysfunction is when your eyes can’t send a clear, singular image to your brain. Your vision is misaligned, and your eyes have trouble working together, resulting in dizziness, balance problems, light sensitivity, headaches, blurred vision, or tired or heavy eyes.
I also had vertical heterophoria (vertical misalignment of the eyes), horizontal heterophoria (horizontal misalignment of the eyes), and oscillopsia (visual disturbance in which images appear unstable). Basically, my eyes weren’t working well together or lining up.
Finally, I had an answer to what was causing my symptoms—my brain was working extra hard to compensate for my focus and alignment challenges. Knowing what was happening was a relief, but that was just the beginning of my journey.
Step 2: Finding Therapy to Manage Dizziness From BVD
I was given medication early on—before being diagnosed with BVD—but I found that it was only mildly effective (reducing around 10% of my symptoms). And I wouldn’t say I liked the side effects (e.g., constipation). After consulting with my neurologist and ENT, they took me off medication, and I startedvestibular therapy. These exercises helped with my balance.
When I was officially diagnosed with BVD, I switched from vestibular therapy to vision therapy. Now, I see a neuro-optometrist at a clinic, where we work on retraining my eyes to work together. And I have “homework"—exercisesto do at home for 10 minutes every day.
I also wear prism glasses that treatdouble vision(diplopia). Although the amber-tinted glasses are more Elton John’s style than mine, they’ve really helped. They make the light softer, preventing double or blurred vision. I started wearing them daily after hitting a plateau with other therapies, and they’ve helped significantly.
Thanks to vision therapy and prism glasses, I’ve had far fewer dizziness attacks, headaches, eye strain, and other vestibular disorder symptoms. I feel 90% better.—JESSICA PAGAN
Thanks to vision therapy and prism glasses, I’ve had far fewer dizziness attacks, headaches, eye strain, and other vestibular disorder symptoms. I feel 90% better.
It took a while to get here and figure out what works. If you’re experiencing unexplained dizziness, keep going, and don’t give up. You will get better.
After my BVD diagnosis, I realized that there were signs of issues well before my first dizziness attack. For instance, I had trouble concentrating when reading in school and would often fall asleep. I also felt eye strain and pressure and sometimes jaw pain. Looking back, these were signs that my eyes weren’t working together.
Learning more about vestibular disorders helped me grapple with my loneliness and depression and empowered me to advocate for myself. I saw that there are a lot of people like me. I joined Facebook groups, which were good support and information exchange sources. I also came across advocacy organizations, like theVestibular Disorders Association(VeDA).
Throughout my diagnosis and treatment, I constantly advocated for myself and was driven to find answers. I asked my doctors questions and was unafraid to seek multiple professional opinions. I made myself an active part of my care, and I want others to know they can do that, too.
Wanting to share my experiences and be a resource, I started a podcast, “The Spinning Chronicles,” to document my journey with dizziness and BVD.I want people with vestibular disorders, such as chronic dizziness and BVD, to know that they’re not alone and that there are others like them. It’s a platform to build community, share knowledge, and provide support.
As told toMark Gurarie.
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