Eye Exercises for Dizziness

Feeling dizzy or suffering from vertigo is highly disorienting and debilitating. Often when suffering from dizziness you feel like you are spinning, whirling or tilting when you are actually not moving at all. This disorientation causes balancing problems, and you may feel like you are falling. Inner ear infections or other inner ear problems, such as mild damage, are often the cause of vertigo, some symptoms of which include nausea and possibly vomiting. Balancing exercises, including certain eye exercises, can help reduce the symptoms of dizziness--and stop the world from spinning.

Looking Up and Down

• According to DrChu-Austin.com, you can use eye exercises to help reduce dizziness by training the movement of the eyes independent of the head and developing the use of the eyes.

  Sit in a chair, preferably with arm rests. Without moving your head look up, and then look down. First slowly, and then quickly. Perform approximately 20 repetitions.

Looking Side to Side

• Sitting in a chair and, without moving your head, look from side to side. First slowly, and then quickly. Perform approximately 20 repetitions.

Extended Arm

• Hold out your arm at its full length and extend your index finger. Focus your eyes on your finger as you move your arm from side to side. You can also move your arm closer and further from you face, again while focusing your eyes on your raised index finger. Perform approximately 20 repetitions of each.

Head Movement

• If dizziness persists, it might help to incorporate some head movement into your exercises. Turn your head from side to side, looking over your shoulder each time. Keep your eyes open during the movement. Repeat 20 times.

Repetition

• If dizziness or vertigo persists, repeat these eye exercises throughout the day in 10-minute increments. If your level of dizziness improves, you may eventually be able to perform these eye exercises with your eyes open.

Causes of Dizziness

• Dizziness is the feeling of being off-balance. Your sense of balance is controlled by signals your brain receives from several locations, primarily your eyes, sensory nerves and inner ear.

  Your eyes send you visual signals that help you determine where you are in space and how your body is moving. Abnormal eye movements can send your brain misleading signals, which can lead to feelings of dizziness or vertigo.

  Your sensory nerves are in your skin, muscles and joints. These nerves send signals to your brain about your body's movement and position, which are important for maintaining balance and control of your body.

  The vestibular labyrinth, located in your inner ear, is known as the organ of balance and helps to detect gravity and back-and-forth motion. The inner ear is extremely crucial in determining ones level of balance, and any inner ear damage or infection can result in dizziness or vertigo.