What is posture and what does vision have to do with it?
Posture is the way the body maintains balance and adapts to the environment, both at rest and in motion. It is regulated by the so-called Postural Tonic System, which combines information arriving from vision, feet, the inner ear, muscles, and joints.
Vision is one of these sources of information. For this reason, an uncorrected visual defect, or difficulty for both eyes to work together, can lead us to adopt compensatory positions: for example, tilting or rotating the head to see better.
Vision and posture influence each other
Several authors (Baron, Gagey, Bricot, Bourdiol, Bortolin, Roll) have described the link between the visual system and posture. Astigmatism, myopia, hyperopia, or convergence difficulties can encourage compensatory postural attitudes. Likewise, poor posture maintained for a long time, for example at a desk, can make visual work more strenuous and increase eye fatigue.
When it might be worth evaluating your vision as well
Some disorders have many possible causes, and sometimes vision is one of them:
Neck and shoulder tension, for example when you keep your head tilted to read or look at a screen.
Headaches that appear after reading, studying, or using a computer.
Visual fatigue, difficulty concentrating on near work, losing your place while reading.
Discomfort while driving or difficulty judging distances.
Important: frequent headaches, vertigo, dizziness, or neck pain should first be evaluated by a doctor. A vision check can supplement medical treatment, not replace it.
Postural optometric assessment
With our postural optometric assessment, we evaluate not only how well you see, but also how your two eyes work together, how they focus, how they move, and whether there are any postural attitudes linked to your vision. If necessary, we will propose the most suitable correction with glasses or contact lenses and, in indicated cases, a visual rehabilitation program.
Postural adaptations are built over time: this is why we recommend regular check-ups to update your correction when necessary. The optometric assessment does not replace an examination by an ophthalmologist, which is recommended annually.
Bibliography
- Bourdiol R., Bortolin G. – CefaleEMIcraniE – Edizioni Gemmer Italia, 2000
- Roncagli V. – Valutazione e trattamento dei disturbi visivi funzionali
- Ugolini D. – Occhio e postura – A.I.O.C., vol. XXXIII, n. 2, 2009
- Ugolini D. – Oculomotricità e processi cognitivo-comportamentali – A.I.O.C., n. 3, 2010