This tear film, which spreads each time you blink, should stay on the eye long enough to support clear vision, provide protection, and keep the eye lubricated for the eyelids. In general, women are already more likely to develop dry eye than men due to natural hormone fluctuations. Without proper tear function, your eyes become dry, and you’re less likely to blink away debris or clear out bacteria and viruses that may lead to infection.

Lifestyle Quizzes

Overcoming addiction is a journey that often requires more than just good intentions. While the idea of quitting alcohol cold turkey might seem straightforward, it can be risky and physically demanding. Sudden withdrawal can lead to severe health complications, which is why having professional help is not just helpful—it’s necessary. Transient vision loss is temporary vision loss lasting less than 24 hours.

Alcoholic Eyes: The Impact Alcohol Has on Your Eyes

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cataracts. That’s a common eye condition where the eye’s lens becomes cloudy and obscures vision. Cataracts are relatively more common in heavy drinkers than in moderate or non-drinkers. In addition to the short-term and temporary effects of alcohol, consuming heavy amounts of alcohol can lead to irreversible eye problems over time. You might develop a painless loss of vision, decreased peripheral vision, or reduced color vision. Heavy drinking can lead to long-term effects on the eyes that can range in severity from rapid eye movement to vision loss and blindness.

What Happens at Various BAC Levels?

If your eyes are bloodshot, avoid touching them and talk to your doctor for a proper diagnosis. If you have ever experienced eye pain after drinking alcohol, you might already know some of the ways in which this substance can be dangerous toward your body. The combination of alcohol and eye pain is an indicator that something is not quite right. Long-term abuse of alcohol can also lead to toxic amblyopia or vision loss. Both short-term and long-term use of alcohol affects the optic nerve and the relationship between the brain and the eye. Alcohol is a toxin that stays in the body until the liver can clear it.

Researchers have noticed that heavy drinkers are likelier to have low levels of protective nutrients such as zinc and vitamins (B12 and folate). The contents of this post and of all Zenni blogs are for informational and marketing purposes only. This post and all Zenni blog contents are not to be considered medical advice. Zenni Optical, Inc. does not provide professional health care advice or engage in the practice of medicine, optometry, or professional health care. Alcohol tends to affect the speed at which your iris constricts and dilates. A driver that has been drinking alcohol cannot adapt as quickly to oncoming headlights.

• Researchers have noticed that heavy drinkers are likelier to have low levels of protective nutrients such as zinc and vitamins (B12 and folate).
• It may also damage or speed up the aging of various structures inside the eye, such as the lens, retina, and optic nerve.
• It doesn’t happen often, but when alcohol is involved, you’re at a higher risk.
• Dry eyes are a common symptom from any type of alcoholic beverage, including wine.
• People may also consider quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption to reduce the risk of negative effects on the eyes and other aspects of health.

That can make the eyes appear bloodshot and contribute to feelings of discomfort. Alcohol is a diuretic that contributes to dehydration, light sensitivity, increased urine production, and reduced tear production. The low moisture levels in the eyes lead to dryness, discomfort, irritation, burning, grittiness, and eye redness. Tackling blurry vision hangover alcohol abuse isn’t just about stopping the drinking; it’s about understanding why the drinking started in the first place. Digging into the root causes of alcohol abuse is essential for effective and lasting recovery.

For example, your doctor may check your blood glucose level if you have blurry eyes in the morning accompanied by fatigue, increased urination, and excessive hunger. This can trigger blurry vision in the mornings, as well as tearing and eye burning. 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.

Transient vision loss causes and risk factors

• 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.
• Your doctor will place special eyedrops in your eyes to widen your pupil, which then allows your doctor to see the back of your eyes.
• Nystagmus may sometimes cause you to lose balance or to have trouble balancing yourself while standing for long periods of time.
• Closed-angle glaucoma occurs when the fluid in your eyes can’t drain properly.

Keep reading to learn more about how alcohol and eyesight are related and how to avoid complications from alcoholic eyes. Among its short-term effects are blurred vision and double vision, which can be temporary effects of intoxication, although they typically wear off as the person sobers up or the next day. Alcohol abuse can also contribute to long-term changes to vision such as an increased risk of developing cataracts. A more severe condition linked with heavy drinking is optic neuropathy, which can result in vision loss and an inability to see colors correctly. This happens because alcohol toxins affect the optic nerves directly. It’s a stark illustration of the impact alcohol has on your eyes, potentially leading to permanent damage.

• Alcohol disrupts how the brain interprets visual cues, leading to blurred vision.
• Once a person recovers from intoxication, their vision should return to normal.
• The optic nerve is in charge of sending impulses from the retina of the eye to the brain.
• In the short term, this can have a dehydrating effect, leaving the eyes dry and irritated.
• Possible short-term problems relating to intoxication include blurry vision, changes in color perception, and light sensitivity.
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), is a progressive eye condition.
• It’s usually caused by a blockage in the internal carotid artery, which supplies your brain.

Prioritize Your Vision and Health

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. For example, many people have occult eye muscle imbalances, but the sober brain can preserve crisp, single vision. Once the person has consumed a little alcohol, the brain relaxes that control and vision problems become apparent. However, these changes will go away once the alcohol has cleared the system.

In addition to these physical signs of alcoholism, be sure to watch out for the other symptoms that come with addiction. These include worsening mental health, changes in behavior, turning to drugs or alcohol to “cope” with stress, and having withdrawal symptoms whenever you are not using or drinking. Short-term effects of alcohol on vision clear on their own as you sober up. However, long-term conditions require treatment by ophthalmologists. Treatments will vary greatly based on a person’s symptoms or health conditions that develop as a result of alcohol use. A person should talk with a doctor about treatment options that will work for them.