stress impacts vision

Surprising Ways Stress can Impact Vision – Watch for the Signs!

We’ve all been cautioned to reduce our stress levels as much as possible.  Stress can have numerous negative effects on the body such as headaches, anxiety, fatigue, depression or trouble sleeping.  But a lesser-known effect is how it can impact your vision.

Why Stress Affects Vision

When you get stressed, your body produces adrenaline, which speeds up your heart rate.  This means more blood flows to essential functions like your internal organs, and less blood gets to your extremities, like your eyes.  High levels of adrenaline can cause pressure on the eyes, while prolonged surges of cortisol (another hormone released when stress occurs) can lead to glaucoma or optic neuropathy.

Which Vision Problems Can be Caused by Stress

Some signs that stress may be reason behind your vision problems can include:

  • Eye twitching
  • Eye strain
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Very wet or very dry eyes
  • Tunnel vision (loss of some peripheral vision)
  • Blurry vision
  • Eye floaters (tiny spots that swim across your vision)

Not only does stress have the capability to produce these new vision issues, but some studies conclude that it can actually worsen already-existing problems from diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration.

Tips to Alleviate Some Stress

If you suspect that your eye problems are related to stress, there are some tactics you can employ to try to relieve some of your symptoms.  Try to relax through deep breathing or meditation, get some extra rest and do your best to eat as healthy as possible while increasing your exercise.  Remember to take breaks often to give your mind a chance to rest!

Certainly, believing that you have a serious vision condition developing can add to your stress levels.  Which can lead to worsening of your symptoms.  And so on.  The best way to determine the cause of your vision problems is through a comprehensive eye exam here at Family Vision Development Center.  Once we have thoroughly examined your eyes and diagnosed any conditions, we can start to develop a plan to correct any issues.  Contact us at 630-862-2020 or visit us online to learn more.

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