Eye muscles can be affected by tension in neck muscles. Information from proprioceptors in the neck muscles can influence certain central pathways including the occipital and frontal cortices, the cerebellum and brainstem nuclei. The result is that the eyes move more jerkily than normally. This can be tested by measuring the ‘smooth pursuit.’ This also lead to feeling of distance or disorientation that is quite common in people who are tense. They sometimes say that they are ‘dizzy.’ On study described the successful treatment of such cases by needling points in the neck (MacDonald 1992). In another study of 48 patients with tension headache, 28 complained of dizziness. Acupuncture and physiotherapy to the neck can improve the smooth pursuit, muscle tenderness and headache severity. (Carlsson & Rosenhall 1990).

Macdonald M 1992. Acupuncture in ophthalmology. Acupuncture in Medicine 10(1):18-21

Carlsson J, Rosenhall U 1990. Oculomotor disturbances in patients with tension headache treated with acupuncture or physiotherapy. Cephalalgia 10:123-129.