Many people have experienced blurred vision. It could come instantly, recur repeatedly, be temporary, or be prolonged. Should you worry and seek help? Or should you sweep it under the carpet? This piece will help you understand blurred vision and what to do when or if you experience it again.
According to a World Health Organization report in 2019, at least 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment or blindness, of whom at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed
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Blurred vision occurs when your vision changes, and you can no longer see things clearly—images are neither crisp nor sharp.
Blurred vision can happen to one eye only or both eyes. It can also affect a part of the eye, or the whole eye(s). If left untreated, your vision can worsen, leading to more complex eye defects.
Blurred vision is different from cloudy vision. Images appear out-of-focus in the former, while there is a film or cloudy layer in front of the eyes in the latter. An easy way to differentiate the two is that blurry vision becomes clear when you squint. Squinting doesn’t affect cloudy vision.
Symptoms of blurred vision include:
Blurred vision can also be a symptom of other conditions like
Blurred vision has many causes. They are categorized into two, namely:
Refractive errors are the most common type of vision problem. These errors depend on the eye's refractive system, which involves the ability of the lens and cornea to focus images on the retina.
Refractive errors happen when images do not form correctly on the retina, a light-sensitive thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye. The retina receives light/images from the lens and converts them into neural signals. It then sends them to the brain for interpretation.
Refractive errors include:
These errors are independent of the eye’s refractive system. They are not directly linked to the image-forming ability of the lens and cornea on the retina. Defects in other parts of the eye, failing health, or the presence of external bodies are among the causes. The external bodies could be microorganisms and allergens.
They include:
At birth, the human eye is not fully developed. It is about 70% the length/size of a grown adult eye. However, it undergoes massive growth and development within the first two years of life.
Blurred vision occurs in children. But because most kids do not express themselves properly, they experience unclear visions without anyone knowing. Parents who are not watchful may miss out on tiny details that could indicate their child has blurred vision. These details could help to prevent the problem from the outset.
Refractive and non-refractive errors also cause blurred vision in kids. Refractive errors are present in almost 20% of children.
Parents should look out for some signs and behaviors in their kids. This can help them detect when their child has blurred vision.
The signs include:
Some of the behaviors that may indicate blurred vision in your child include:
First, the doctor will ask you questions to better understand your condition, such as questions about when you first noticed the blurred vision, and what makes it better or worse.
For further diagnosis, the ophthalmologist runs some tests depending on your answers.
These tests are classified into eye tests or blood tests
The eye tests include:
It’s an examination of organs at the back part of the eye, including the retina, choroid, blood vessels, and optic disc.
Ophthalmoscopy is 90% to 95% accurate. It can detect the early stages and effects of many serious diseases.
This test checks for refractive errors. It's the most common type of eye test.
The patient sits in a chair with a device called a refractor attached to it. The refractor contains different contact lenses. The patient looks through the refractor to focus on an eye chart 20 feet away. The doctor tests each eye separately.
Reading out the writings on the chart tells the doctor whether you have any refractive error.
This is a measure of the eye’s intraocular pressure using a tonometer. Intraocular pressure is the measurement of the fluid pressure in the eye. The fluid preserves vision and prevents eye conditions like glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
According to a 2022 study, the normal intraocular pressure range is 10–21 millimeters of mercury.
It involves using a microscope and a bright light called a slit lamp to check for abnormalities at the back of the eye. It is similar to and could be a type of ophthalmoscopy.
Blood tests check for the presence of microorganisms (bacteria) in the blood vessels of the eye. If present, these bacteria can cause infections.
The eye doctor also uses a blood test to obtain your white blood cell count. This also checks for infections in the eyes.
Treatments for blurred vision vary depending on the cause. The treatment options can be grouped into:
Eyeglasses or contact lenses are efficient at managing refractive errors. They correct eye defects by ensuring the images form correctly on the retina.
The use of eye drops and medications is effective for eye infections, conjunctivitis, and uveitis.
In extreme cases, the doctor performs (laser) surgery on the problematic eye, or both eyes. These include cases of glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy.
Surgery is usually the last line of treatment for blurred vision.
There are natural ways to prevent blurred vision. They include precautions to help the eye remain in optimal health. Some of them are:
Blurred vision can develop suddenly or over time and may be caused by a chronic medical condition. Hence, it is important to take precautions to prevent it from getting worse.
If the blurred vision happens suddenly, seek urgent medical attention. It may come with all or any of these symptoms
Also, seek medical attention if you experience any of these:
Blurred vision is one of today's leading eye problems. It is a problem on its own or a sign of a much bigger problem.
Most of its causes, like the distortion of the cornea, are beyond your control. The most you can do is look out for the symptoms and avoid any form of injury to the eye.
Kids are not left out; blurred vision affects them too. Treatment options cut across all age brackets. The faster you visit your eye doctor, the better your chances of avoiding blindness.