The term ‘blurred vision’ means the loss of sharpness of the images observed and the inability to make out the details. It may cover one or both eyes and can occur in several forms. It may affect vision of only the nearby or distant objects, but in severe cases it can also cause everyday problems, severely limiting the autonomy of patients.
Blurred vision can affect the entire line of sight or just parts of the vision. This could include the peripheral vision, or how one sees to the right or left of the field of vision. Other ways to describe blurred vision include hazy, clouded or dim vision.
The possible causes may include refractive problems (near-sightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism), cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, epiretinal membrane, keratoconus, macular degeneration, macular holes, retinal detachment, occlusion of blood vessels in the retina, pterygium, a hemorrhage of the vitreous or infection, inflammation or trauma to the eye.
Blurred vision is usually diagnosed by an eye specialist who notes all the present symptoms and subjects the patient to various tests to determine the cause. The tests may include standard eye tests, physical examination of the eyes, and alternative tests such as intraocular pressure, refraction, ophthalmoscopy, as well as slit-lamp examination.
What diseases can be associated with blurred vision?
The diseases that may be associated with blurred vision are the following:
- Amblyopia
- Anxiety
- Cataracts
- Blepharitis
- Astigmatism
- Diabetes
- Headache
- Migraine
- Botulism
- Presbiopia
- Macular degeneration
- Retinal detachment
- Chalazion
- Retinoblastoma
- Macular hole
- Keratocnous
- Myopia
- Ophthalmic herpes zoster
- Farsightedness
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Glaucoma
- Epiretinal membrane
- Myasthenia gravis
- Pre-eclampsia
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Strabismus
- Pterigyum
- Rubella
- Multiple sclerosis
- Syphilis
- Dry eye syndrome
- Toxoplasmosis
- Corneal ulcer
It is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list and it would always be better to consult your doctor if symptoms persist.
What are the remedies against blurred vision?
The treatment of blurred vision depends entirely on its cause. The defects of refraction can be corrected using corrective lenses or, in many cases, with simple interventions such as those based on the use of laser. Other cases may require a specific therapy, as in the case of macular degeneration, or an equally specific intervention, as in the case of cataracts.
When to contact your doctor?
In the presence of blurred vision it is always better to consult your doctor or ophthalmologist. If the problem is severe or worsens possibly reaching vision loss or if the blurred vision is associated with double vision, facial drooping, difficulty speaking, feeling of pressure in the eyes, severe headache, a sudden appearance of dark spots or sudden pain and redness in the eyes it is recommended to promptly visit the emergency room.
