Facts About Blurred Vision
Blurry vision is not uncommon to anyone. It can be a sequela of many things, including stroke, diabetes, and aging, among others. However, it is vital to determine the real reason why your vision becomes unclear.
“Sight is such a valued sense, but there are still a lot of problems that fall through the cracks,” says Rajiv Shah, MD.
In many instances, the cause can be treated – or it might create some minimal changes only. In others, however, it might be a warning sign of a severe illness or permanent visual abnormality.
So, what is blurred vision?
Blurry vision is defined as a loss of sharpness of eyesight. It is characterized by a decreased focus on what you see in one eye, both eyes, one particular area, or in all areas of the eye. Moreover, your vision could also be blurry due to things that are very close or very far away from you.
Most of the time, blurring is temporary or a simple sign that you just don’t have a perfect vision. However, if it happens suddenly, this can be serious and should be evaluated immediately by an eye doctor.
Signs And Symptoms
You should suspect that you’re having blurry vision when you have:
- Vague vision in the outer field of the eye
- Vague vision at different distances
- Foggy vision
- Frequent instances of blinking, rubbing, or squinting
- Decreased detail when looking at something
These changes may appear gradually or suddenly. They may also appear and then disappear, and appear again, which is usually the case with eyestrain, headaches, or too much sun exposure.
Other signs and symptoms you may discover can only be related to the cause of the real problem. For instance, eye swelling and irritation may imply that you have an infection. Or perhaps you’re having a bout of stroke preceded by slurred speech and dizziness.
Common Causes Of Blurry Vision
There are plenty of reasons why you get blurred vision, and it can range from a simple, unclear vision to a severe health problem. These are some of the most common causes of blurred vision.
1. Astigmatism. An irregular shaped cornea that causes you not to see clearly in the distance characterizes this eye problem. When light hits the eye, it doesn’t enter at a single focus point but is scattered, leading to blurry vision.
2. Presbyopia, Myopia, Hyperopia. Inability to read up close, nearsightedness, and farsightedness, respectively. People who have these types of disorders squint to focus, causing eyestrain and headaches.
3. Chronic Dry Eyes. Vision becomes fuzzy when the eyes are unable to produce natural tears.
4. Migraines. Unilateral headaches that are intense like migraines can cause temporary blurred vision, zigzag patterns, and the appearance of dancing lights when one looks ahead.
“If your symptoms began after a head injury, are sudden and severe, or are accompanied by symptoms of a stroke, such as difficulty speaking and confusion, seek emergency medical care,” says James Keith Fisher, MD.
5. Fatigue Or Too Much Sun Exposure. Often, when we stay too long in the sun, or we overwork in front of our computer, we don’t realize that our vision is affected until we stop and rest. Our vision fogs, but only temporarily. However, it’s not okay to do it repeatedly as it might lead to other permanent eye disorders.
According to Gary Heiting, OD, “If you have sudden blurry vision in one eye and are over age 60, it’s possible you have developed a macular hole in the central zone of your retina. Sudden blurry vision also may be a symptom of a detached retina, eye herpes, or optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve).”
Conservative Treatments For Blurry Vision
Some things we can do naturally to prevent or reduce blurry vision include:
• Wear protective glasses when doing computer work for prolonged periods.
• Always turn on the right amount of light when you’re reading or doing other activities. Too bright or too dark light can lead to strain and ultimately to eye abnormalities.
• Avoid stress and anxiety. These two often go together, and when they do, they just suck the life out of you if you don’t know how to handle them. One of the most affected parts of you, aside from your mental and emotional health, is your eye health. Find something to keep you happy, like exercise, massage, maintaining a hobby, or talking to a counselor.
• Visit your eye doctor regularly. In doing so, your doctor will quickly determine if you have a developing eye problem, and it can be cured or alleviated as early as possible.
Don’t take blurry vision for granted. It may just be a simple side effect of a headache, or it can be a warning sign of a more severe illness. So it is imperative to choose an eye doctor as early as now and schedule a monthly checkup. It really doesn’t take much of your time.