You can have 20/20 vision and still see like this.
Blurry letters. Words that seem to move. Shadowed or double images that make reading or driving exhausting.
If this sounds familiar, it’s not just your imagination, and it’s not something a “normal” eye exam will catch. You may have Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), a subtle misalignment of the eyes that makes them work against each other instead of as a team.
Seeing Clearly Isn’t Always “Seeing Comfortably”
Most people assume that if each eye sees 20/20, their vision must be fine. But the truth is, clear eyesight and comfortable vision are not the same thing.
Each of your eyes can work beautifully on its own, just like two strong legs. But if one leg is slightly shorter than the other, walking becomes inefficient and uncomfortable. The same thing happens when your eyes are slightly misaligned: each performs well independently, but together they cause strain, blur, and fatigue.
Our eyes are meant to work together as a synchronized team. When they don’t, the brain receives conflicting information, which can lead to visual confusion and symptoms that affect your entire body.
The Hidden Struggle: Shadowed, Blurred, or “Double” Vision
People with BVD or Vertical Heterophoria (VH) often describe what they see as “shadowed,” “ghosted,” or “slightly doubled.” It’s not a classic, obvious double image – it’s more subtle, like a faint echo of what you’re trying to read or focus on.
Common situations where this becomes most noticeable include:
- Reading black text on a white page – letters appear to shimmer or shift.
- Watching TV subtitles – the words seem to have a drop shadow.
- Driving – road signs or exit markers look blurry or doubled.
Over time, this can cause headaches, dizziness, neck strain, motion sensitivity, and even anxiety. Many patients spend years visiting specialists who tell them their eyes are “perfect” because their visual acuity is 20/20, while the real problem lies in how their eyes work together.
Learn more about binocular vision dysfunction →
Why the Brain Matters: We Look With Our Eyes, but We See With Our Brain
Vision is more than what the eyes capture – it’s how the brain interprets that information. When the eyes are not properly aligned, the brain struggles to merge two slightly different images into one clear picture. This constant effort can lead to visual stress, fatigue, and a variety of physical symptoms that don’t seem “eye-related.”
That’s why many people with BVD are misdiagnosed with migraines, anxiety, vestibular disorders, or chronic fatigue before finally discovering that the root cause is visual.
The Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA) has noted that visual misalignment can directly impact balance and spatial orientation—key functions that depend on the brain’s ability to integrate visual and vestibular input.
The NeuroVisual Solution: Prism Glasses That Bring the World Back Into Focus
At NeuroVisual Specialists of Florida & iSee VisionCare, Dr. Erin Sonneberg and our team specialize in diagnosing and treating these subtle eye misalignments with precisely prescribed prism lenses.
Unlike standard glasses, prism lenses gently realign the images seen by each eye so that the brain can effortlessly fuse them into one. The result? Relief from shadowed or double vision, and often from years of unexplained symptoms.
Many of our patients describe immediate improvement after putting on their prism glasses for the first time. Words become crisp, signs are clear, and the world stops “shifting.”
Learn more about vertical heterophoria →
It’s Not Just for Kids: Adults Struggle Too
While children with reading difficulties often benefit from neurovisual evaluation, many adults live with untreated BVD for decades. They’ve learned to compensate (tilting their head, avoiding reading, or steering clear of driving at night) without realizing the cause is visual.
If you’ve ever been told, “Your eyes are fine,” but you still experience:
- Blurred or shadowed vision
- Dizziness or motion sensitivity
- Neck or shoulder tension
- Trouble focusing when reading
- Fatigue or headaches while driving or using screens
—it’s time to look deeper.
You Can Have 20/20 Vision and Still Struggle to See Clearly
Having “perfect vision” doesn’t always mean your vision feels perfect. The key question isn’t just how well you see with each eye individually, but how well your eyes work together.
If your daily life feels harder than it should because of vision-related discomfort, know that help is available and lasting relief is possible.
Take the First Step Toward Clear, Comfortable Vision
If you suspect that shadowed or double vision may be affecting your reading, driving, or concentration, we encourage you to complete our BVD questionnaire.
Our team at NeuroVisual Specialists of Florida & iSee VisionCare will review your symptoms and determine if a NeuroVisual evaluation with Dr. Erin Sonneberg could help. You may have 20/20 vision, but with the right treatment, you can finally see comfortably.
Dr. Erin Sonneberg
Dr. Erin Sonneberg, OD, received her Doctor of Optometry degree from New England School of Optometry in Boston, Massachusetts in 2004. She completed her undergraduate studies at City University of New York, Queens College in 2000, where she graduated with honors in business. Dr. Sonneberg relocated to Boynton Beach, Florida, in 2006, and has been practicing alongside prestigious ophthalmologists in the area since that time.
