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I would suggest that vision and balance are indeed related to one another=

but for somewhat different reasons.  The inability to produce the necessa=
ry
stride length required by the environment for walking at any given time i=
s =

in my opinion a perceptive (i.e. vision) or processing (i.e. vision
processing) problem in PD'ers.  (The ways to overcome this is predominant=
ly
vision mediated).    Normal walking generally involves the forward
displacement of one's center of gravity past the fall point with a
subsequent stride of adequate length to catch oneself prior to falling. =

Short stride or shuffling gait is compensatory for this perceived lack of=

available stride length.  It's a way of walking that keeps one's center o=
f
gravity under foot rather than forward displaced.  Balance problems occur=

when the environment suprises us with a  sudden need  to decelerate, stop=

and maneuver.   Our velocity exceeds the ability of the short stride to
safely slow us down and so we appear out of balance and fall.

regards,

Tom Riess =