These are short-term effects that can begin while you are drinking, and can last for several hours afterward. Having your eyes cross or go blurry when you’ve had too much to drink is a common experience. There are a few reasons why alcohol can affect your eyesight and cause temporary double vision or crossed eyes (medically known as strabismus). In the case of alcohol and eye infections, here we also have an instance in which liquor intake indirectly has a negative effect on eye health. Alcohol can impair the immune system and reduce the body’s ability to fight off bacteria and diseases, including those affecting the eyes. Attention to the early warning signs and symptoms also enables healthcare providers to offer advice on reducing alcohol consumption and to catch potential addiction-related health problems.
If these symptoms arise, coupled with a pattern of excessive drinking, it may signal an alcohol use disorder. Seeking medical care is crucial to address the negative effects and potentially prevent long-term damage to eye health and other systems in the body. Prolonged consumption of alcohol affects eye health by altering blood pressure and pupil size, which are responsible for our ability to see clearly. Additionally, excessive drinking can interfere with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep cycle, leading to sleep disturbances and further impacting eye conditions.
Temporary Effects
Alcohol’s short-term effects on eyesight can lead to potentially harmful situations, including accidents and injuries. Higher alcohol intake can result in slower communication between the brain and the optic nerves, further impacting vision quality. Some temporary vision and eye health problems from drinking can be easily treated.
Generally speaking, anything above drinking in moderation can negatively impact your health. Therefore, it is best to drink well below the “moderate” classification. Nevertheless, if you are a heavy or binge drinker, you should be aware of possible health complications and what to watch for as potential adverse long-term side effects. No reliable sourcing indicates how many people experience vision issues due to alcohol.
Find out why Florida Eye Specialists & Cataract Institute is the name more Tampa Bay residents have trusted with their eye care since 1981. Alcohol consumption can also be a slippery slope between just a drink or two, and a dependency. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction please reach out to one of your doctors.
Are There Any Long-Term Health Effects from Drinking Too Much Alcohol on My Eyes and Vision?
Apart from causing an increased perception of halos, alcohol also has other effects on our eye. Law enforcement officers assess several alcohol-induced why does alcohol cause double vision changes to the eyes when performing a field sobriety test on a suspected impaired driver. Alcohol has been shown to be a trigger for severe migraine headaches in some people. It is a common trigger for people who have migraines, and alcohol can also trigger a headache for some people who don’t otherwise have migraines or headaches.
All research on the Coastal Detox website, including images, texts, and graphics, is strictly for informational purposes. Please do not ignore information from your doctor because of something you saw on the Coastal Detox website. If you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you are struggling with alcohol abuse or addiction, a professional alcohol detox program can assist you on the road to sobriety. Remember that it’s okay to ask for professional help and support when battling an addiction. Here at Coastal Detox, we offer detox programs for alcohol addiction in Stuart, FL, along with opioid detox, heroin detox, and fentanyl detox.
Prevention and Detox Treatment for Alcohol Abuse
Not only that, but as the central nervous system is depressed, the pupils of the eyes become sluggish. Each eye is controlled by the stimulation or inhibition of 6 different muscles (for a grand total of 12 coordinated muscles between the two eyes). These muscles are constantly being flexed and relaxed to keep your vision stable and in the direction you are choosing to focus on. Overconsumption of alcohol (a BAC of 0.08% or greater) depresses the central nervous system—this results in slow or inhibited muscle control.
Their vision could also get dazzled by the headlights of an oncoming truck or car. Prevention may be the best way to improve a person’s outlook for their eyes and other aspects of mental and physical health in relation to alcohol. Drinking alcohol may decrease the sensitivity of your peripheral vision. You might not see very well on your right and left sides, which can cause you to ignore objects on your sides. This may also give you the effect or perception of having tunnel vision. Alcohol also distorts visual processing at the level of the visual cortex in the brain.
What to know about the effects of alcohol on the eyes
- If you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
- Bloodshot eyes – Alcohol reduces oxygen to your red blood cells, causing blood vessels to clump together and resulting in a ruddy complexion and red, bloodshot eyes.
- Law enforcement officers assess several alcohol-induced changes to the eyes when performing a field sobriety test on a suspected impaired driver.
- Individuals with diabetes who also engage in regular alcohol consumption are at an increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Eye problems induced by alcohol abuse might not always be immediately apparent, making routine check-ups an essential tool for early detection. AMD is a progressive eye disease that can lead to significant vision loss, particularly in the center of your visual field. Excessive alcohol use can harm the macula – the part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision. Studies suggest that the toxic effects of alcohol on the retina and the macula could accelerate the degeneration process, impacting overall visual function.
Why does Alcohol cause Blurred Vision?
It can also impair the function of the muscles around the eyes which can cause double vision. It can cause them to turn red because consuming alcohol causes the vessels in your eyes to swell and fill with blood – hence the term bloodshot. Your eyes may also get very dry because alcohol is a diuretic, making you urinate more and causing dehydration. Alcohol consumption can lead to more than blurry vision and bloodshot 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. Optic neuropathy, on the other hand, can cause loss of vision (which will most likely be painless), decreased peripheral vision, and problems seeing colors. While alcohol consumption can be a fun social activity, it is important to consume alcohol only in moderation as it does have many serious health complications. As mentioned before, drinking debilitates the central nervous system. If even one muscle is not working appropriately, it can cause the eyes to move incorrectly and therefore cause double vision.
- These are short-term effects that can begin while you are drinking, and can last for several hours afterward.
- This is because too much alcohol causes the blood vessels in your eyes to grow, making your eyes appear red and bloodshot and sometimes feel painful.
- There are a few reasons why alcohol can affect your eyesight and cause temporary double vision or crossed eyes (medically known as strabismus).
- Alcohol has been shown to be a trigger for severe migraine headaches in some people.
Possible long-term effects on eyes
Cataracts – Multiple studies have shown increased cataract formation in patients with higher alcohol consumption. Sensitivity to light is probably the most well-known side effect of a hangover. This vision problem can also affect inebriated people however they may have had too much to drink to remember. This can be incredibly annoying as your eyes can never focus on one point for very long.
Typically this is seen in heavy drinkers or binge drinkers, however just because you are a heavy drinker or binge drinker does not necessarily mean you are an alcoholic. Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention to prevent severe complications or fatality. We all know how alcohol impairs one’s ability to quick reflexes, co-ordination, judgement and memory. This study now affirms how visibility at night can be adversely affected by alcohol. Seeing halos can make it difficult for drivers to see changing traffic signs or pedestrians who are crossing the road.
Alcohol can also reduce the eye’s capability of detecting differences between light and dark by 30%. We think of our patients as family and have been leaders in eye care since 1981. Our modern advanced technology and friendly and supportive staff have led to our being one of the premier eye care and centers for surgery on the western coast of Florida.
Some temporary effects occur when you drink, and other effects take time to develop and can be permanent. This article describes the potential effects of alcohol on your eyes. Early detection of alcohol-related eye issues is vital for maintaining eye health and overall well-being.