Blurred Vision
Reviewed by Hank Rosenthal, O.D.
Blurred vision could be an important clue that an eye disease is present. It can affect one eye (unilateral blurred vision) or both (bilateral blurred vision) eyes, and whether it occurs often or rarely, it should never go untreated. If your vision is blurry you are unable to see fine details, and the lack of sharpness can be frustrating. Any type of vision loss (blindness, double vision, blurry vision) could mean numerous different things ranging from Glaucoma to migraines, and it can eventually lead to blindness. Blurred vision can happen at any distance, so if you experience blurry vision, regardless of your age, you should visit a doctor for a checkup because it could be a warning sign of something more serious.
Blurred Vision Causes
There could be an underlying problem if you're experiencing blurry vision. Blurred vision is usually the red flag that something else exists. People who forget to wear their prescribed corrective lenses experience blurry vision, but it's not always that simple. There is a large list of possibilities that could be causing the blurry vision. Here we will go over a few of them.
- Refractive Eye Conditions - In need of a corrective lens, or a new corrective lens
- Myopia - Nearsightedness
- Presbyopia - A diminishing ability to focus at near with age.
- Eye Condition - This could range from Glaucoma to Cataracts to Macular Degeneration.
- Dry Eyes - Blurry vision is a symptom of this syndrome
- Migraines - Some people experience blurry vision before a migraine comes on
- Cataracts – Causes the eye's lenses to become cloudy.
Other times medications cause the blurry vision. There is a wide variety of substances, drugs, prescribed substances and supplements that could cause blurry vision. This list is not complete.
- Some Anticholinergics
- Some Antihypertensives
- Some Psychotropic drugs
- Oral contraceptives
- Cortisone
- Some Antidepressants
- Some Heart medications
Relieving Blurred Vision
If you're experiencing blurred vision, you should go see your eye doctor as soon as possible. There could a large variety of options to choose from, depending on the severity of your situation. Here are a few things you can do, or talk to your doctor about to try to bring your vision back into focus:
Try reading glasses, they can be prescribed or bought off the rack at your local store. Sometimes, buying off the rack can be a low cost solution. First pick a pair of glasses with the lowest magnifying power. Stand at least a foot away from the rack to see if you can read the letters on the signs. If you can't, move up in power. If regular reading glasses aren't the solution, you can try different types of eye glasses such as computer glasses, bifocals or multifocals.
You can try to trick your brain with two lenses. Contact lenses can be prescribed like this. One lens can be for distance vision and the other for near vision. It's important to know that the eyes don't always loose vision at the same rate. Called monovision lenses, they allow the brain to automatically focus the eyes.
If your eye exam doesn't include any problems you can try lubricating drops to relieve some dry eye problems. Over the counter drops are available, as well as prescribed drops. Again, talk to your eye doctor about the possibilities.
Finally, if you do wear glasses or contact lenses, try cleaning them. Oils and debris can build up on the lenses and cause blurry or fuzzy vision. There are many different types of cleaning solutions that can be purchased over the counter, but it's always a good idea to talk with your eye care professional about the options, and which brands would better suit you. Not all solutions work well with specific brands of lenses.
For people blurriness caused by cataracts, there are surgical options to replace the old lens with a new one that will allow them to see clearer.
[Page updated 1/2011]
