Sober living

Six Ways that Drinking Alcohol Affects Your Eyes

Just like the brain, it can become damaged by drinking alcohol. If the optic nerve becomes damaged, it can result in low vision or blindness. A damaged optic nerve can cause eye pain, loss of color perception, eye floaters, and vision loss in one or both eyes. Optic neuropathy is the term used to describe any damage to the optic nerve. Excessive alcohol abuse over an extended period of time can cause damage to the retina which can result in loss of vision in the center of the eye. Sustained damage to both the retina and the macula can lead to age-related macular degeneration .

can alcohol cause blurry vision

They can do a comprehensive eye exam to look for signs of cataracts, macular degeneration and other problems. One or both of your eyes may twitch during or after drinking alcohol. While there are many causes of eye twitching, it may be wise to cut back on drinking for a while if you develop an eye twitch that may be alcohol-related. alcohol blurred vision Alcohol can cause blurry and distorted vision and while everyone reacts differently to different amounts of alcohol, you will likely experience this at some point. There is a delay between the brain and the eyes due to theslow pace of communication between neurotransmittersin the brain which weakens the eye muscle coordination.

NEW to Weinstein Eye Associates

Ocular findings may be related to reduction of Gamma-aminobutyric acid activity, which is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA has been found in https://ecosoberhouse.com/ different parts of the visual pathway, from retinal ganglion and bipolar cells to the lateral geniculate nucleus, superior colliculus, and the visual cortex.

  • A number of studies link increased risk of cataracts to high levels of alcohol consumption compared to those who either don’t drink or drink only in moderation.
  • Alcohol also reduces the flow of oxygen to red blood cells, leading blood vessels to clump together and cause red or bloodshot eyes.
  • Drinking in moderation isn’t going to cause any lasting negative problems with your eyes.
  • After graduating top of his class with a Bachelor of Science in Informational Technologies and Administrative Management, he joined Rebuild Your Vision in 2002.

When a person’s blood alcohol content begins to rise, they begin experiencing the effects of intoxication. These include slurred speech, impaired coordination, and more. There are many ways in which binge drinking and drinking in excess affects vision. Here are the most common ways in which short term alcohol abuse affects the eyes.

Alcohol and Your Eyes

A doctor may irrigate your eyes again even if you’ve already done it. They can also use pH strips to make sure all of the alcohol is gone and perform an eye examination to assess the degree of damage. If you get hand sanitizer in your eye, it’s important to avoid rubbing it and to flush your eye as soon as possible.

can alcohol cause blurry vision