It’s natural to experience changes in your vision as you age, according to the National Institute on Aging. Over time, you may find that your vision becomes more blurry.
However, sometimes blurry vision is caused by an underlying health condition.
Keep reading to learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for blurry vision.
What are the symptoms of blurry vision?
Symptoms of blurry vision may depend on several factors, such as age and the underlying cause.
Blurry vision may affect only one eye, your entire line of sight, or just parts of your vision.
For example, your peripheral vision may be affected, which refers to what you see to the sides, above, and below your central vision.
If you have refractive errors, you may also experience near-sightedness or far-sightedness. For instance:
- near-sightedness can make far-away objects appear blurry, or out of focus
- far-sightedness can make close objects – but not far-away objects – appear blurry
Other common symptoms can be associated with blurry vision, including:
- double vision
- seeing a halo around bright objects
- squinting
- headaches
- dim colors
- fatigue
When is blurry vision a medical emergency?
Get immediate medical attention if you suddenly experience any of the following symptoms:
- severe headache
- difficulty speaking
- loss of muscle control on one side of your body
- facial drooping
- trouble seeing
- severe eye pain
- sudden vision loss
- floaters in your vision
- lights, dots, or shadows in your vision
- a dark curtain moving across your vision
These may be signs of a medical emergency that requires medical treatment, such as a stroke or retinal detachment. Left untreated, these may lead to several long-term complications, such as movement, vision, and cognition problems.
What are the causes of blurry vision?
The most common cause of blurry vision is refractive errors, which affect nearly 150 million people in the United States. Refractive errors include:
- near-sightedness
- far-sightedness
- astigmatism
- presbyopia
Refractive error occurs when the shape of your eye doesn’t properly focus the light for your retina. The retina is responsible for transmitting this light as signals to your brain to be recognized as a visual image.
Other causes of blurry vision may range from manageable, long-term health conditions to sudden, life threatening complications that require immediate medical attention.
These may include:
- retinal detachment
- stroke
- age-related macular degeneration
- wet macular degeneration
- endophthalmitis
- glaucoma
- infectious retinitis
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- corneal abrasions
- cataracts
- corneal ulcers, or scarring
- migraine
- optic neuritis
- dry eye
- retinopathy, such as diabetic retinopathy
- traumatic brain injury, or concussion
- trauma or injury to the eyes
It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional if you experience blurry vision. Some causes of blurred vision may require medical attention to prevent long-term health complications, such as permanent vision loss or death.
How is blurry vision diagnosed?
An eye specialist will perform a medical history and ask you about your symptoms of blurry vision. Examples of questions they may ask include:
- When did you first start noticing the blurred vision?
- What makes the blurred vision worse or better?
- Does anyone in your family have a history of eye conditions?
Then, the eye specialist will perform a standard ophthalmic examination to look at the inside and outside of your eyes. This can help them look for ocular conditions and assess:
- depth perception
- shape and alignment of your eyes
- vision sharpness
- eye movement
An eye examination may include a wide range of tests, such as:
- reading an eye chart
- ophthalmoscopy
- refraction test
- slit lamp examination
- tonometry
You may also require blood tests to help determine whether an underlying health condition is causing your blurred vision.
How is blurry vision treated?
Treatment for blurry vision will depend on several factors, such as:
- the underlying cause
- your age
- the severity of your symptoms
If an underlying health condition is causing your blurry vision, it’s important to work with a healthcare professional to develop a specific treatment plan.
Your treatment plan for blurry vision may include:
- prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses
- over-the-counter (OTC) remedies, such as eye drops
- oral, injection, or topical prescription medications
- procedures, such as laser therapy and tear duct plugs
- surgery, such as cataract surgery or retinal detachment repair
How is blurry vision prevented?
It’s not always possible to prevent some causes of blurred vision, but taking steps to care for your eyes may help prevent lifestyle-related causes.
Here are some tips for healthy visionTrusted Source:
- wear wraparound, 100% UV-protected sunglasses outside
- eat a diet rich in eye-healthy nutrients
- quit smoking, if you smoke
- get your eyes checked at least every 2 years
- wash your hands before putting on or taking out contact lenses
- wear protective eyewear when operating heavy machinery or engaging in activities like painting and home repairs
- minimize your screen time
Blurry vision could make your surroundings appear unclear. This may be frustrating and affect your quality of life.
Speak with a healthcare professional if you experience blurry vision. They could develop a treatment plan to help you see more clearly.
Credits to the original link: https://www.healthline.com/health/hazy-vision#takeaway