CAN FATIGUE CAUSE BLURRY VISION ?

Is fatigue one of the causes of blurred vision? The answer is an emphatic YES and it is and a potentially serious one at that. It should not be taken lightly or ignored and medical advice should be sought immediately. If the cause is due to a minor problem, well and good; but if the underlying reason is major, then treatment should be started right away. The longer you wait for before treatment, the more danger to your health and longer the recovery process.

SERIOUS CAUSES OF FATIGUE AND BLURRY VISION:

There are many causes which result in fatigue and blurred vision. The serious conditions are:

• Anemia

• Lupus

• Sjogren’s syndrome

There are other reasons for fatigue and blurred vision. These conditions may also occur due to entirely different unconnected reasons. However, symptoms of fatigue and blurred vision are serious and could be potentially life threatening. By ignoring it, or even self diagnosis and treatment, could lead to disasterous consequences.

ANEMIA:

Anemia is one of the commonest blood disorders. The sad part of anemia is that it goes undetected for a long time. A mere look under the eyelids will arouse sufficient suspicion for a health care provider to order a blood test. A simple blood test is all that it takes to confirm the diagnosis.

Hemoglobin and Anemia:

Hemoglobin, a protein present in blood, carries oxygen throughout the body. When there is an insufficiency of Hemoglobin, as in the case of anemia, sufficient oxygen cannot circulate through the body. This lack of oxygen manifests itself as fatigue and as a result may cause blurred vision. It may also cause dizziness and fainting spells. The other symptoms could include breathlessness, low blood pressure and a rapid heartbeat. If untreated, anemia can lead to more serious complications such as strokes, heart attacks etc.

Diagnosis and Treatment:

Though anemia can be caused by blood loss due to trauma, a trauma will get immediate medical attention and rarely goes untreated. On the other hand, if the anemia is due to nutritional deficiencies and problems with nutritional absorption, then anemia can go undetected for a long time.

One such reason for nutrition related problems is a ‘crash diet’ or ‘fad diet’. They may or may not reduce weight, but they will definitely cause nutritional deficiency and the resulting fatigue, blurred vision etc. The constant fatigue, blurred vision and other symptoms will be attributed to reasons such as overwork, foreign particles in the eye etc. and not to the diet.

All it takes is a change in diet along with a few vitamin supplements to overcome the problem of fatigue and blurred vision.

LUPUS:

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body attacks healthy and organs as if they are foreign bodies. The symptoms of Lupus vary from mild to severe and if treatment is not taken it may be fatal. Fatigue, blurred vision, inflammation, fever etc. are the symptoms. A person suffering from Lupus may exhibit one or more symptoms. Unfortunately there is no definitive test or cure for Lupus. The diagnosis is confirmed after all other possibilities have been exhausted.

SJORGEN’S SYNDROME:

This syndrome causes fatigue and blurred vision. This is also an autoimmune disease and it attacks glands that produce mucus and moisture.The causes are unknown. One of the first symptoms is swelling. A biopsy of the salivary gland is done to confirm diagnosis.

OTHERS:

Diabetes can cause fatigue and blurred vision. A regimen of diet and exercise, along with the requisite medication, can bring diabetes under control. Similarly there are many other medical conditions which could cause fatigue and blurred vision. Fatigue and blurred vision regularly go hand in hand. Proper investigation must be done to get at the root of the problem so that it can be treated as early as possible. eResearch by Navid Ajamin -- spring 2013

Fatigue and blurred vision may occur due to reasons independent of each other. The fatigue may be due to dehydration and the blurred vision may be due to an eye problem. An eye problem should never be taken lightly. Delay in treatment may result in permanent damage to the eye and the consequent loss of vision, partially or fully. Whatever be the reason, when you suffer from fatigue and blurred vision, your body is ringing ‘warning bells’ that something is wrong.

Have you noticed that on some days your vision is more clear and on other days the blurriness seems to be worse? One person with early dry AMD shares his experience, “Sometimes my vision is as clear as can be, but on some days (seems to be more on less sunny days with lots of glare) I can hardly see anything, things are so blurry. And then my vision returns to normal again after a good sleep for instance. “ Another person stated, “My vision is worse at night and on dark days. I love sunshine.”

Don’t be surprised if you notice changes in the clarity of your vision during different days or at different times during the day. The top 4 things that can affect the sharpness of your vision are:

High blood pressure can damage the tiny, delicate blood vessels that supply blood to your eyes, causing: Damage to your retina (retinopathy). Damage to the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye (retina) can lead to bleeding in the eye, blurred vision and complete loss of vision.

Certain eye drops — especially eye drops containing preservatives — can cause irritation and blurry vision.

Eye Strain

Blurred vision is a common symptom of Computer Vision Syndrome. According to the American Optometric Association, “Viewing a computer or digital screen often makes the eyes work harder.” Blurred vision can result from prolonged digital screen use, whether it’s time on a computer, smartphone or tablet. Take frequent breaks by looking at something in the distance or by closing your eyes. Blink more often to lubricate your eyes since most screen users blink less often when staring at a screen.

Sunshine

The effect of sunshine on vision for those with different eye conditions varies. Some find that cloudy days provide better vision with less glare and others find that their clarity improves on sunny, bright days. Wearing a wide brimmed hat and blue light blocking sunglasses when outdoors can diminish some of the adverse of effects of too much brightness.

Stress

“Our eyes are an extension of our brain so whatever affects the various parts of our brain can actually interfere with our vision,” explains the eye doctors from Bennett and Bloom Eye Centers. They add,

“Stress can also cause blurred vision and, ironically, experiencing a vision problem can create more stress.” When a stressful moment occurs, pupils dilate allowing more light to enter the eye which can actually interfere with one’s vision. Too much light can actually result in blurriness. Reduce stress through exercise, meditation, deep breathing and a healthy diet.

Sleep

Lack of sleep or fatigue contributes to poor vision. Difficulty focusing and other eye conditions that can result from less than 5 hours of sleep are eye spasms, dry eyes, and irritated eyes.

While changes in the clarity of one’s vision can change from day to day, if there is any sudden loss of vision, distorted vision, or blank, dark spots in the center of one’s vision, call your eye specialist right away.

There are many reasons why you might suddenly experience blurred vision, and they range from serious causes such as stroke, to less threatening reasons such as dry eye, a migraine or a change in your prescription. If your blurred vision is associated with other symptoms including numbness in the face or body, dizziness, or difficulty speaking, visit your medical doctor or emergency room right away.

Even if your vision clears up again, it is important to have a full eye health exam by your doctor of optometry. You may require eye drops, or corrective lenses. If you have been previously diagnosed with an eye condition, sudden blurred vision could indicate progression that may require treatment.

Do not ignore it; go to a health care provider immediately.

Reference:

• fatigueness.com
• opto.ca/health-library/sudden-blurred-vision
• enhancedvision.com/low-vision-info/what-affects-vision-clarity.html

See Also:

• What Are Common Causes of Fatigue and Blurred Vision?

• Blurred vision, Dizziness, Fatigue and Loss of balance

• Common causes of Blurred vision in children

• What causes sudden blurry vision?

• Sudden Blurred Vision Causes