Stress is one factor that affects most people in our busy lives, and health conditions from stress are common. However, did you know that stress can also affect your eyes? When life feels too busy or demanding, your eyes can pay the price like the rest of your body during those emotionally difficult times.
Below are a few stress-related eye symptoms that can result from too much stress and what to do about them.
Common Stress-Related Eye Problems
It’s reassuring to know that most stress-induced eye issues are temporary and can be managed effectively.
- Blurry vision. When caused by stress, blurry vision will probably be mild instead of severe.
- Eye strain. Eye strain may be caused by something simple, like staring at your computer screen too long at work. However, stress can also be a cause.
- Eye floaters. Eye floaters are tiny spots that swim across your vision.
- Tunnel vision. You may lose some of your peripheral vision and feel like you can only see straight in front of you.
- Sensitivity to light. You may feel like bright light hurts your eyes or makes seeing difficult.
- Eye twitching. Maybe one or both of your eyes will randomly spasm.
- Very dry or very wet eyes. While these are opposite symptoms, either one can be induced by stress. It all depends on how your body responds to a difficult situation.
- Fluid buildup. Central serious choroidopathy is a more severe eye condition caused by stress. Fluid buildup in the retina can eventually leak into an area beneath the retina called the choroid, affecting the eye and sending sight information to the brain.
If you have persistent eye trouble, please prioritize scheduling an appointment with your eye doctor TODAY. Your eye doctor can diagnose the problem and recommend the best course of action, which may include stress management techniques or other treatments.
What Causes Stress-Related Eye Problems?
When you get anxious, frightened, or stressed, your body’s instinct is to go into what scientists call “fight or flight” mode. This means your body is preparing to either fight the threat or run away from it. Your body will start producing hormones like adrenaline, which speed up your heart rate, and your brain will direct more blood to essential functions like your internal organs and less blood to your extremities.
Your body takes these actions to protect you. When you worry about something, your brain detects a threat, so its response is to gear up to either fight the potential danger or run away from it.
When you are in fight or flight mode, your eyes can suffer because your brain will cause your pupils to dilate. This response aims to get more light into your eyes so you can see any potential threats more clearly. Additionally, when you are very tense, as many stressed-out people are, the muscles in and around your eyes can tighten, causing twitching and soreness. This is why stress can lead to eye problems.
How to Take Action and Overcome Stress?
By taking proactive steps to manage your stress, you can significantly reduce its impact on your eye health.
- Sleep at least 8 hours a night
- Exercise
- Taking slow, deep breaths, sending the air into your belly instead of your chest
- Meditating
- Yoga
- Writing in a journal
Once you have found a way to deal with stress, your eyes should return to normal. These stress-relief actions also benefit your heart by lowering your blood pressure. If you are experiencing eye problems, please call us to schedule an appointment.
Relax, relate, and release the stress to find your happy place! Make lifelong eye health a priority.
References: American Academy of Ophthalmology. This newsletter provides information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The content provided in this newsletter and any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, they should consult with an appropriately licensed physician.