At the Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA), we recognize that symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, visual motion sensitivity, and light sensitivity can make using websites challenging. That’s why we are committed to making vestibular.org as comfortable and accessible as possible for everyone.
This guide provides tips and tools to help you navigate our website more easily if you experience:
- Sensitivity to screen brightness or light contrast
- Difficulty with scrolling or motion-triggered dizziness
- Discomfort from cluttered or fast-moving visuals
Reduce Screen Brightness & Contrast
Bright white backgrounds or harsh color contrasts can worsen light sensitivity or trigger migraines. Here are some ways to make your viewing experience gentler:
- Use your device’s dark mode. Most modern browsers and operating systems offer a dark mode option.
- Install a browser extension like “Dark Reader” or “Night Eye” to apply a soft dark theme to websites.
- Lower your screen brightness or enable the “Night Shift” or “Comfort View” settings on your device to reduce blue light.
Minimize Scrolling & Motion Sensitivity
Scrolling can be disorienting for people with vestibular issues. Try these strategies to reduce motion and make navigation easier:
- Use the “Back to Top” button located at the bottom-right of the page on most sections of our site to avoid excessive scrolling.
- Zoom out your browser window so more content appears on screen without needing to scroll.
- Use keyboard shortcuts (like the space bar or arrow keys) for slower, smoother scrolling.
- Try “Reader Mode” (available in Safari, Firefox, and some Chrome extensions) to display a simplified version of a page with fewer distractions.
Reduce Visual Clutter
Busy visuals, pop-ups, and background animations can be overwhelming. Here’s how to simplify your view:
- Enable “Reader Mode” in your browser to remove sidebars, menus, and other non-essential elements.
- Use an ad blocker or content blocker to reduce flashing or moving elements.
- Print or save articles as PDFs if reading on paper or a different device is more comfortable.
Find What You Need Faster
To help reduce time spent browsing:
- Use the search bar at the top of every page to go directly to topics you’re looking for.
- Visit our most popular resources directly from the homepage:
- If you’re unsure where to start, please send us a message via our Helpline.
Tools You Can Try
Some apps and tools may also make browsing easier:
- Avulux lenses – if you have light-triggered symptoms
- Virtual assistants or screen readers like VoiceOver (see ‘Accessibility’ settings on your device) or NVDA – to read content aloud without needing to look at the screen
Tell Us How We Can Help
VeDA is continually working to improve the accessibility of our website. If something on the site is making you feel worse, or if you have suggestions on how we can better support you, please let us know at [email protected].
You deserve to access trustworthy, supportive information in a way that feels safe and comfortable. We’re here to help you every step of the way.
Additional Resources
- Mitigating Triggers from Digital Devices (article by a vision expert)
- Digital Devices: Issues, Settings, and Tips (article by a vestibular patient)
