Eyes have a delay to focus when head moves quickly

Posted , 14 users are following.

Hello, I have noticed in the past couple months that my eyes take longer to move/focus when my head is moving quickly. It is most noticeable when driving: If i look up at a traffic light and quickly move my head down to look in my lap, my eyes take .5 seconds to a second to "catch up" and focus at what i want to look at.

For reference, I'm a 37 year old man who does not wear glasses, has 20/20 vision, and can read a line or two below the line im supposed to read on an eye test (last checked a year ago). I also have taken lithium for bipolar disorder for 10 years. I mention because i know it can affect horizontal nystagmus gaze. this moving phenomenon is new to me though.

I thank you for any input or insight.

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    My thought would be that you may need a prescription ( not for seeing far away) but to make the near sharper. It would be bifocals, no prescription in the top, just in the bottom. This is what I feel your eye doctor will recommend. You can try it out by getting a pair of cheap readers from the dollar store, putting them further down on your nose so you can see over them, then looking far away then through the glasses. Make sure to try the glasses on and make sure you can read through them. You most likely would nee a +1.25 or+1.50 whatever the smallest amount you can find. Good Luck

  • Posted

    I've been having this exact same problem, and it's absolute hell when it strikes...

    Below are a few other things I experience when this happens:

    • I struggle glancing from my windscreen to speedometer, mirrors, blind spots etc.
    • My brain feels VERY foggy, which makes it hard to concentrate.
    • I often feel spaced out, especially when driving. It's like I feel disconnected from reality.

    I've been to the opticians recently and my vision is fine, a bit long-sighted if anything, but nothing bad.

    Got a doctor's appointment about it soon, but I've done some personal research and found something called: "PPPD" The symptoms line up really well to what I'm experiencing, so they might for you too. I'd definitely give it a Google, and see if that's perhaps what could be up with you.

    I tell you I've literally scoured the internet for people experiencing the same thing whilst driving, you're the first person to hit the nail on the head with it.

    I'm a 22yo female for reference, also been suffering with this for a few months now, but only recently has it gotten pretty bad. It's like my brain its trying to turn driving "hard-mode" it's making it a real chore, when in reality, I love driving!

    Hope this helps anyway, I'll see if my doctor has anything to say on my issue.

    • Posted

      First off, why is typing in this forum so awkward? If I hit the caps button once it goes into caps lock. If I hit any punctuation, including comma, it goes into caps lock, and there's no text predict. I'm typing in notes app just to respond...

      I want to thank you for responding, and I'm reading up on PPPD and it shows some of the symptoms I'm having, but isn't 100% my focus delay while moving my head quickly doesn't necessarily happen when there is a lot of movement; it also happens if I'm on my couch watching tv. If I stare at the tv and then look down in my lap towards my phone, it's like I go dizzy and takes my eyes a moment to focus when they didn't before. It's not an issue with needing glasses as was suggested, as I have great focus near and far - it's just the time switching in between while moving my head is starting to take longer and make me feel dizzy for a short period of time until I focus again.

      I too am starting to be worried about driving. I sometimes get worried to glance down at the speedometer while driving for fear that I might get in a wreck because my eyes take too long to focus between near and far.

      Did your doctor appt. come up with anything? I might need to speak with someone soon 😦

    • Posted

      Hey I just saw this post and I've been experiencing the same problems as you did here. Just wondering what was every diagnosed? Please let me know. Thanks

    • Posted

      I realize this is 4 years old, but figured it was worth a try. I'm curious if you ever found out anything further on your condition?

      What you describe, coupled with the feeling of a foggy brain is exactly what I am struggling with, both driving and doing other things. my doctors cant find a solution.

      thanks in advance.

  • Posted

    You know, you should definitely try "Norbekov Method".

    Basically you can restore your health without any medicine or surgeries

    I have read a lot of positive comments on forums and I`m prety sure it works.

    Just visit their page:

    Moderator comment: I have removed the link(s) directing to site(s) unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.

  • Edited

    hi

    i can comment on my own experience and im not saying this is what your condition is down to.

    I also had this condition, i noticed it when i played football, id be looking at the ball at my feet then look up quickly and my vision would be slower at focusing to where my head was actually pointing by a second or two. Its hard to describe to others/family who havent experienced or heard of this. sometimes enough to make me dizzy and be sick.

    Then after a while maybe 2 months my left arm, every so often use to go floppy for a split second when moving it so i went to my drs who was also a eye specialist also, and she said it sounds like MS multiple sclerosis.

    to cut a long story short 8 months later i was diagnosed with ms.

    I dont know if your familiar with ms but no two patients are the same and it can affect every one differently and at different time scales.

    so think back have you had anything else flare up then go away after a couple of weeks/months as this could be another signal.

    ive been diagnosed for 11 years now and im fine,still doing the things ive always done.

    work full time. if it wasnt for the label nobody would know theres anything wrong with me.

    As i said this is my experience on slow focusing

  • Posted

    Hi there, I had the same problem. In my case I was diagnosed with dry eyes and a little dehydration.. Drinking more water and taking some flax oil solved the problem. I found a herb called eyebright to be beneficial also.

    Best of Luck

    Joe

  • Posted

    I have pretty much the same condition. Makes driving dangerous. I've noticed that with one eye closed, I don't have the same problem. It's as if the eyes are not tracking together when both are open. Saw Optometrist (seems like the ophthalmologist is a dying breed for regular eye care) and he could not find any issue other than very minor reading correction.

  • Posted

    I'm not sure if i have the same thing but similar. I'd describe my symptoms sort of opposite as yours, I move my head, I can see but it takes my brain a slight moment to catch up and understand what I'm looking at. I also usually have a noise in my head, like its busy, working hard at focusing. It's hard to explain but it comes and goes. I take anti anxiety meds and it doesn't happen as much. If the med isn't working as well, and I need to change, it comes back. It happened the other day. I was in a room, turned quickly with my eyes focused out the window to the backyard and it took a split second for my brain to catch up. Not sure if it is like what you are experiencing,

    • Posted

      hi! sorry for replying after 10 months but did you ever figure out what it is? currently struggling w it 😦

  • Posted

    did you ever find out what was happening? i am currently being plagued with feeling this way. did you have a helmet too tight feeling around your head alongside any nerve tingles/pins and needles?

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