How One TikTok Comment Led Vivid Visions Optometry, Inc. to Newsweek
Sometimes one comment can change the direction of someone’s life.
That is exactly what happened when I came across a TikTok video posted by Margo Shoaf, known online as @margeauxwiththeflow.
Margo had been suffering from daily headaches for nearly nine years. She also experienced persistent pain behind and around her right eye. Despite visiting multiple doctors and five different optometrists, she was repeatedly told that everything looked normal.
Like many people with chronic headaches, Margo searched for anything that might bring relief. She eventually tried a viral TikTok “migraine hack” that involved attaching a hair clip near her eyebrow. When she posted about the temporary relief she experienced, her video appeared on my feed.
The Comment That Started Everything
After watching her video and hearing about her symptoms, I left a simple comment:
“Schedule a binocular vision evaluation with a behavioral optometrist who prescribes prism lenses.”
Initially, Margo ignored it.
Her vision seemed fine, and she had already undergone numerous examinations. She understandably assumed that if her eyes were contributing to her symptoms, one of her previous eye doctors would have found the problem.
But seeing clearly does not always mean the eyes are working together correctly.
After researching binocular vision dysfunction, Margo decided to take the comment seriously. She found a provider offering binocular vision evaluations only three miles from her home in Virginia and specifically requested the testing.
That evaluation finally gave her an answer: her symptoms were connected to a binocular vision problem that had not been identified during her previous routine eye examinations.
Why Binocular Vision Dysfunction Is Often Missed
Binocular vision dysfunction, commonly called BVD, occurs when the eyes have difficulty working together as a coordinated team.
Even a small misalignment can force the brain and eye muscles to work constantly to maintain a single, stable image. Over time, this extra effort may contribute to symptoms such as:
Headaches or migraines
Pain around or behind the eyes
Dizziness or nausea
Motion sensitivity
Eye strain
Light sensitivity
Balance problems
Reading difficulties
Driving anxiety
Feeling overwhelmed in busy environments
A person can have 20/20 vision and still have BVD. Standard eye examinations often focus on visual clarity, eye health and basic prescription measurements. They may not include the specialized binocular vision testing needed to uncover subtle eye-teaming problems.
This is why some patients visit multiple doctors, receive normal test results and continue suffering without an explanation.
From a TikTok Comment to Newsweek
Margo later shared her story publicly, explaining how an unexpected comment led her to seek the specialized evaluation that finally identified the problem.
Her experience caught the attention of Newsweek reporter Lucy Notarantonio, who contacted me to learn why I had left the comment and why these visual conditions are so frequently overlooked.
I explained that routine eye examinations do not always include the detailed testing necessary to identify binocular vision dysfunction. As a result, patients may struggle for years while their underlying visual problem remains unrecognized.
On September 11, 2026, Newsweek published Margo’s story and featured my comments as president of Vivid Visions Optometry, Inc. in Valencia, California.
You can read the complete story here: Woman Suffers From Daily Headaches, Then One Comment Changes Everything
Why This Story Matters So Much to Me
My connection to BVD is personal.
My own binocular vision dysfunction was missed for 28 years, even though I had excellent visual acuity and had been examined by multiple eye doctors. I experienced symptoms without understanding that my eyes were contributing to them.
In 2016, I identified my own binocular misalignment and prescribed prism glasses for myself. The difference was life-changing.
That experience changed the direction of my career. It is why I have spent years educating the public about BVD through TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and other platforms.
The goal has never been to chase views. The goal is to reach the person who has been told that everything looks normal, yet knows that something still does not feel right.
Margo’s story is a powerful example of why awareness matters. One educational comment encouraged her to ask a different question, seek a different type of examination and finally discover a possible explanation for symptoms she had lived with for almost a decade.
What to Do if This Story Sounds Familiar
Headaches and dizziness can have many different causes, and new or severe symptoms should always receive appropriate medical evaluation. However, if you continue experiencing headaches, dizziness, eye strain, motion sensitivity or balance problems despite normal routine testing, it may be worth asking whether your binocular vision has been evaluated.
At Vivid Visions Optometry, Inc., we perform specialized BVD and Neuro-BVD evaluations that assess much more than visual acuity. We evaluate how the eyes align, move, focus and work together across different viewing conditions.
Treatment is personalized and may include prescription prism glasses, Neurolens prisms, vision therapy or a combination of approaches based on the individual patient’s findings.
We also offer virtual consultations for people who are not local to our practice. Although a prism prescription requires an in-person examination, a virtual consultation can help you better understand your symptoms and identify an appropriate provider closer to home.
To schedule an evaluation or virtual consultation, visit:
Sometimes the first step toward finding an answer is simply learning that a different question needs to be asked.
Dr. David Antonyan, O.D.
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