TikTok Comment Helps Solve Nine Years of Daily Headaches: Binocular Vision Dysfunction Diagnosed

A Virginia woman who suffered daily headaches for nearly a decade says an unexpected comment on a TikTok video led to a diagnosis that had been missed by multiple eye specialists.

From Persistent Pain to a Surprising Tip

Margo Shoaf, 35, of Chesapeake, Virginia, experienced constant head pain for nine years along with aching behind and around her right eye. She told Newsweek she long assumed the symptoms were sinus-related. Over the years she visited doctors and five different optometrists who repeatedly reported normal eye exams, and she often blamed poor sleep, dehydration, caffeine or allergies.

The Viral Trick and One Comment That Changed Everything

Shoaf posted a selfie-style video demonstrating a viral migraine "hair-claw" trick that temporarily eased her pain. An optometrist — Dr. David Antonyan — replied to the post advising her to "schedule a binocular vision evaluation with a behavioral optometrist who prescribes prism lenses." Initially skeptical because she had received many tests, Shoaf researched the condition and learned that not all eye clinics perform the specialized testing required to detect certain binocular vision problems.

Diagnosis: Binocular Vision Dysfunction

Shoaf found a provider about three miles from her home who performed the recommended exam. During the appointment she wore a virtual reality headset and followed a target for several minutes as part of a binocular vision evaluation. The test confirmed she has Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD), a disorder in which the eyes do not align or work together properly.

Dr. David Antonyan (Vivid Visions Optometry): "Routine eye examinations do not always include the specialized binocular vision testing needed to identify these problems. As a result, some patients can go years without having the underlying visual dysfunction recognized."

Treatment and Relief

Shoaf is now awaiting prism glasses, which bend incoming light so images land in the correct place on the retina, reducing the need for the eyes to compensate and often easing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and visual discomfort. After years of searching for answers, Shoaf says having a diagnosis has brought relief and hope for improvement.

What This Means For Others

According to the New England College of Optometry (NECO), even a small misalignment between the eyes can prevent the brain from fusing images correctly and cause chronic symptoms. Experts say patients with persistent headaches or dizziness that have not been explained by other tests may benefit from a binocular vision evaluation from a behavioral or binocular vision-trained optometrist.

Takeaway: If you have chronic headaches or unexplained visual symptoms, ask whether a binocular vision evaluation was performed — standard eye exams do not always include this testing.