Visual influences on balance

This paper discusses the impact of vision on balance and orientation in pat ients with vestibular disorders and in anxiety patients with space and moti on discomfort (SMD). When the vestibular system is impaired, vision has a g reater influence on standing postural control, resulting in greater sway wh en individuals are presented with erroneous or conflicting visual cues. Stu dies have shown that individuals with other motion sensitivities, such as m otion sickness, also tend to rely on vision for balance and do not disregar d erroneous visual cues. Recently, patients with anxiety disorders that inc lude SMD also have been shown to have increased postural sway in conflictin g visual environments, similar to patients with vestibular disorders. Thus, while specific vestibular deficits are not always directly associated with SMD, data regarding the impact of vision on balance suggest that some pati ents with SMD may have an underlying balance disorder. (C) 2001 Elsevier Sc ience Inc. All rights reserved.