Blurry Vision: A Comprehensive Guide

Blurry vision, a condition in which you see objects out of focus, can have many causes, ranging from tired or irritated eyes to minor anatomical problems to serious health issues that may worsen or even lead to blindness if left untreated. The treatment and prognosis for blurry vision depend on the underlying cause.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762958b495c8-75ae-4fe7-8914-19ec46ed01ad
Possible Causes of Blurry Vision Causes Causes of blurry vision can be directly related to eye health — including refractive and nonrefractive errors — or caused by other illness or injury-related causes. It can be one of the earliest symptoms of diabetes. Refractive Errors Refractive errors occur when the eye is misshapen, which causes light to be focused improperly. These include: Nearsightedness (myopia) Farsightedness (hyperopia) Astigmatism , or imperfect curvature of the cornea (lens) of your eyee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762924c86944-f75e-4854-953e-0980a866444b Presbyopia (age-related loss of focus)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629402f662a-cf97-4137-85dc-ca3ab2ed5cda Nonrefractive Errors Dry eye syndromee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629402f662a-cf97-4137-85dc-ca3ab2ed5cda Cataracts Glaucoma e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762924c86944-f75e-4854-953e-0980a866444b Macular degeneration e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629402f662a-cf97-4137-85dc-ca3ab2ed5cda Optic neuritis (inflammation and irritation of the optic nerve)e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bf355803-2ef2-4c58-88b3-d170ad579135 Eye infection or injurye60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629402f662a-cf97-4137-85dc-ca3ab2ed5cda Retinoblastoma, or cancer of the retinae60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762924c86944-f75e-4854-953e-0980a866444b Crossed eyes (strabismus) Other Causes Diabetes Hypertension HIV/AIDS Sickle cell anemia Lupus Medication reaction Vitamin A deficiency Stroke Migraine Concussion Bleeding inside the eye (hyphema) Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome , a condition related to blood flowe60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762973ad5b66-b2d4-4102-99d8-0156607155d5 Eyestraine60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296bdbb4af-3b0c-4bac-86f8-f31051e7896f The American Academy of Ophthalmology website features an extensive list of conditions that may be associated with blurry vision. You should seek immediate medical attention if your vision suddenly gets blurry or if you suddenly lose vision — particularly if you’ve been injured or show other potential symptoms of a stroke, including: Difficulty breathinge60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762903777729-c6b1-4a37-bf37-c2ea94522ee4 Difficulty movinge60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762973ad5b66-b2d4-4102-99d8-0156607155d5 Dizziness Weakness in one arm Facial paralysis Slurred speech Loss of balancee60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f043b439-a36d-447d-a3f2-f153d0e3fc09
Treatment and Medication Options for Blurry Vision Treatment Treatment for blurry vision can take a wide variety of forms, depending on the underlying cause. Possible treatments include corrective eyewear, medication, and surgery. Corrective Eyewear Corrective eyewear includes eyeglasses and contact lenses, which can be used to treat blurriness caused by refractive errors and cataracts, among other causes.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b2c5cf87-d826-4acf-89fa-9fd9553ebdfa Medication Options There are many possible medications your doctor may prescribe. Over-the-counter eye drops may provide temporary relief.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762943a07b80-c176-4da3-a3be-07c249d5a931 For treating presbyopia, or age-related blurry vision, your doctor may prescribe pilocarpine hydrochloride ( Vuity ) eye drops, which are approved for this use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b2c5cf87-d826-4acf-89fa-9fd9553ebdfa Surgery Surgical procedures that may be used to treat conditions that cause blurry vision include: Cataract surgery LASIKe60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b2c5cf87-d826-4acf-89fa-9fd9553ebdfa
Prevention of Blurry Vision Prevention Take care of your health by eating well and get lots of rest.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f464a514-cdb4-4394-920e-d8e7a418ebd7 Foods like dark leafy greens, fish, and other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamin A–rich foods like carrots and sweet potatoes, can also help you maintain eye health.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629855b4f9f-7629-4c64-af0c-7d0ad3d010db Wear sunglasses when you’re outside, and get eye exams regularly.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f464a514-cdb4-4394-920e-d8e7a418ebd7 If you wear contacts, be sure to always wash your hands before putting them in or taking them out to minimize the risk of infections. If your blurry vision is caused by an underlying health condition, you may be able to resolve it by following your doctor’s recommendations for managing your symptoms. To prevent blurriness from eyestrain that results from looking at a screen too long, try following the 20-20-20 rule: at least every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. For blurry vision caused by eye dryness, try blinking a few times, using a warm compress, or using eye drops to lubricate your eyes.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629855b4f9f-7629-4c64-af0c-7d0ad3d010db
The Takeaway Blurry vision can have a variety of underlying causes. You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience sudden blurry vision. Treatment for blurry vision can include corrective eyewear, medication, or surgery. There are a number of ways to prevent blurry vision, such as eating correctly and limiting the amount of time you look at screens.
Resources We Trust Cleveland Clinic: Blurred Vision UCLA Health: Blurred Vision Healthdirect (Australian Government): Blurred Vision Optometrists Network: Why Does Diabetes Cause Blurry Vision? Mayo Clinic: Presbyopia



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