Years of alcohol consumption impairs many of the body’s functions resulting in organ failure. Thus, is it so important to limit or even cut out alcohol if necessary. In the short-term, overconsumption of alcohol can result in blurry or double vision. It can cut down on your peripheral vision as well, resulting in tunnel vision.
Possible long-term effects on eyes
Therefore, it is crucial to maintain adequate hydration, especially when consuming alcohol. Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to persistent dry eyes due to its diuretic effect. Over time, this chronic dryness can damage the cornea and lead to discomfort and vision problems.
Preventing alcohol-related eyesight problems
- Individuals with diabetes who also engage in regular alcohol consumption are at an increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR).
- This can be incredibly annoying as your eyes can never focus on one point for very long.
- He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs.
- However, in the short-term, even one drink can have negative effects on the eyes (e.g., dry eyes).
PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge database, Scopus, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched. We categorized the relationship between alcohol intake and ocular conditions by the type of ocular exposure to alcohol. The main feature of alcohol intoxication in the eye is abnormal eye movement. Acute optic neuropathy secondary to methyl alcohol consumption is a serious ocular disease with permanent vision loss or scotoma. Prenatal exposure to ethanol may end in fetal alcohol spectrum disease, where ocular findings are a constant component.
Sensitivity to Light
Fortunately, most short-term signs of alcoholic eyes and eye pain after drinking should improve as the body rebounds from alcohol exposure. ToleranceEveryone has a different tolerance for alcohol; you may be different from someone else who drinks the same amount. It has been suggested that men drink no more than 4 units per day and women drink no more than 3 units per day. According blurry vision after drinking alcohol to Medical Daily, drinking in moderation should not cause any long-term problems to eyesight. This article reviews how alcohol can affect vision, the possible short- and long-term effects, treatments, and more. A large longitudinal study published in 2021 similarly showed a link between low to moderate wine drinking and a lower risk of developing cataracts that required surgery.
Because your reaction time is slowed when you drink, so are your eyes. So, if you go from a dark room to a light room or vice versa, you’d have a lot of trouble adjusting to the new lighting. If someone is suspected to have nystagmus, they will likely undergo a CT scan or an MRI to get a scan of the brain. Often these rapid eye movements are due to neurological problems in the brain. Rapid eye movements or involuntary eye movements are often called nystagmus and can affect one or both eyes.
- The study also found an increased risk of developing cataracts among heavy drinkers — those who drank more than two drinks (20 grams of alcohol) a day.
- Quitting alcohol can be incredibly difficult and sometimes dangerous when attempted alone.
- Often these rapid eye movements are due to neurological problems in the brain.
- Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to long-term damage in the body, including liver cirrhosis, memory loss, cancer, and vision problems.
Like double vision, if the bloodshot eyes do not revert back to normal after a night of drinking, then it could be more serious and require medical attention. If your eyes are bloodshot, avoid touching them and talk to your doctor for a proper diagnosis. It can lead to eye pain, eye floaters, loss of vision in one or both eyes and loss of color perception. It doesn’t happen often, but when alcohol is involved, you’re at a higher risk. Sure, we know that drinking affects our vision and can cause blurred or double vision, especially at night.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines drinking in moderation as limiting intake to two drinks or less per day for males and one drink or less per day for females. Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India.
- Tobacco-alcohol optic neuropathy, also known as tobacco-alcohol amblyopia, is common in heavy alcohol drinkers and can be irreversible depending on the nerve damage.
- Consuming alcohol in moderation, or having two or fewer drinks per day for men and one drink or fewer per day for women, is unlikely to cause long-term eye issues.
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If you drink excessively, be sure to see a healthcare professional so you can get help cutting down before the effects on your health get worse. Alcohol is a diuretic, causing your body to remove fluids faster and giving you dry eyes. This dehydration extends to your eyes, accelerating the symptoms of dry eye syndrome (itchiness, a burning sensation, blurry vision, watery eyes etc.).
A rough guide is 1 large glass of water per 2 units of alcohol drunk. Using an eye spray or eye drops is also recommended to give a boost of moisture. The best thing you can do to alleviate eye-related symptoms caused by alcohol consumption is to cut back on drinking or eliminate alcohol altogether. Light to moderate alcohol consumption should not have a lasting impact on your vision.