There are many potential reasons why you may suddenly experience distorted vision. Some common causes include:
– Migraines
– Eye problems
– Head injury
– Stroke
– Multiple sclerosis
– Medication side effects
– Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
– Heat exhaustion
– Anxiety or panic attacks
Distorted vision can be alarming, but try not to panic. The visual disturbances are often temporary and reversible once the underlying cause is addressed. This article explores the various reasons for distorted vision and what you can do about it.
What is distorted vision?
Distorted vision refers to any type of visual disturbance where objects appear warped or misshapen. Here are some examples of distorted vision:
– Objects appearing wavy, tilted, blurry, shaky, or doubled
– Halos or auras surrounding objects
– Blank spots in your field of vision
– Flashing lights or shadows
– Difficulty seeing contrasts and edges
– Colors appearing dull, washed out, or overly bright
These visual changes may affect all or just part of your field of vision. The distortions might come on suddenly and can range from mild to severe. Often the symptoms are temporary, but in some cases they can persist.
Causes of distorted vision
There are many possible medical explanations for experiencing distorted vision. Let’s explore some of the most common causes:
Migraines
Migraines often involve visual disturbances called migrainous scintillations or auras. About 25% of migraine attacks are preceded by visual auras typically lasting 5 to 60 minutes. The aura may produce zig-zag lines, shimmering spots, partial vision loss, blurred vision, or hallucinations. As the migraine develops, the aura symptoms usually subside.
Eye problems
Issues with the eyes themselves can result in distorted vision:
- – Cataracts – Clouding in the lens of the eye causes blurry, double, or distorted vision.
- – Vitreous detachment – The vitreous gel inside the eye shrinks and detaches from the retina, resulting in spots, floaters, flashes of light, and distorted vision.
- – Macular degeneration – Damage to the macula causes objects to appear warped or wavy.
- – Retinal disorders – Diseases affecting the retina can lead to visual disturbances.
- – Dry eyes – Insufficient tear production causes blurred vision.
- – Eye injuries – Trauma to the eye may result in double or distorted vision.
Head injury
Head injuries, like concussions, can injure the visual centers in the brain leading to temporary visual problems. Post-concussion vision symptoms include blurry vision, light sensitivity, eyestrain, and difficulty concentrating visually.
Stroke
A stroke interrupts blood flow to parts of the brain that control vision. Visual effects of stroke include partial vision loss, blurred or double vision, problems judging distance, and difficulty seeing to one side. Stroke requires immediate emergency care.
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease attacking the central nervous system. Blurred or double vision is often one of the first symptoms of MS. Optic neuritis inflammation causes pain and vision loss.
Medication side effects
Many medications list visual disturbances as potential side effects. Antibiotics, antimalarials, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and erectile dysfunction drugs are examples. The medication may cause blurred vision, difficulty focusing, dry eyes, dilated pupils, eye pain, or light sensitivity. Symptoms should improve after stopping the medication.
Low blood sugar
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) starves the brain and eyes of glucose needed for proper functioning. This can cause blurred vision, double vision, or loss of sight. The effects reverse once blood sugar levels are restored to normal ranges.
Heat exhaustion
Prolonged exposure to high heat causes heat exhaustion with symptoms like blurry vision, headache, nausea, and dizziness. Moving to a cool place and rehydrating usually relieves the visual disturbances.
Anxiety or panic attacks
During severe anxiety or panic attacks, people may experience temporary vision changes like blurriness, tunnel vision, distorted perception of lights and colors, or a sense the world is spinning. These visual effects stem from hyperventilation and adrenaline surges affecting ocular muscles.
When to seek emergency care
In some cases, distorted vision warrants immediate medical attention. Seek emergency care if you experience:
- – Sudden loss of vision or severely impaired vision
- – Flashing lights, spots, or floaters appearing suddenly
- – Vision loss combined with headache and nausea
- – Vision changes after a head injury
- – Distorted vision along with slurred speech, numbness, or paralysis indicating a possible stroke
Rapid vision changes could permanently damage vision if not treated promptly. Emergency room doctors can order imaging tests and specialized ophthalmologic care to diagnose and manage serious eye conditions.
Diagnosing the cause of distorted vision
To pinpoint the reason behind your distorted vision, the doctor will perform a full medical evaluation:
- – Medical history – The doctor asks about your symptoms, headache history, medications, and other medical conditions.
- – Vision exam – Tests check your visual acuity, peripheral vision, eye muscle alignment, depth perception, color vision, and pupil response.
- – Eye pressure test – High pressure inside the eye (glaucoma) can cause vision changes.
- – Slit lamp exam – A slit lamp carefully inspects the front of the eye.
- – Dilated eye exam – Drops enlarge (dilate) the pupil to allow inspection of the lens and retina.
- – Visual field test – Maps out your field of vision to detect any blind spots or vision loss areas.
- – Neurological exam – Assesses neurological function, balance, coordination, and reflexes.
- – Blood tests – Test blood glucose levels and other blood chemistry.
- – CT or MRI scan – Cross-sectional imaging of the brain checks for tumors, bleeding, stroke, or nerve damage.
- – Lumbar puncture – Cerebrospinal fluid may be sampled to test for infection or neurological disorders.
Based on the exam and test findings, the doctor diagnoses the cause of distorted vision. Treatment aims to resolve any underlying medical conditions.
Treatments for distorted vision
Treatment focuses on remedying the underlying source of distorted vision. Some options include:
Migraine management
To reduce migraine frequency and severity:
- – Avoid triggers like stress, caffeine, alcohol, smoking, fasting, and certain foods that provoke attacks.
- – Take preventive prescription medications like beta blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, or anticonvulsants.
- – Try supplements like riboflavin, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, or feverfew.
- – Use acute migraine treatments such as triptans, ergot derivatives, anti-inflammatories, or anti-nausea medication when an attack occurs.
- – Alternative therapies like biofeedback, relaxation techniques, acupuncture, or massage therapy.
Eye treatments
Depending on the eye condition, treatment may involve:
- – Eyeglasses – Correct refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or presbyopia.
- – Contact lenses – Clearer vision for some refractive errors.
- – Cataract surgery – Removes cloudy lens replaced with artificial lens implant.
- – Vitrectomy – Removes blood or scar tissue from inside the eye.
- – Medicated eye drops – Treat infections, inflammation, dry eyes, or glaucoma.
- – Vision therapy – Exercises to strengthen eye muscles and coordination.
Medication adjustment
If medication side effects are the culprit, the doctor may lower the dosage, switch to an alternate drug, or add supplemental eye drops. Stopping the medication altogether may be required.
Blood sugar control
Keeping blood sugar levels stable for diabetes prevents hypoglycemia episodes. A combination of medication, diet, exercise, and blood sugar testing helps manage diabetes.
Neurological treatment
Neurological conditions require customized treatment plans:
- – Multiple sclerosis – Immunosuppressant drugs and steroids to reduce inflammation and attack frequency.
- – Stroke – Clot-busting drugs, blood thinners, or surgical interventions to restore blood flow.
- – Head injury – Rest, pain relievers, rehabilitation therapy, and gradual return to activities for concussions.
Anxiety management
Relieving anxiety and panic attacks involves therapy, anti-anxiety medication, stress reduction techniques, aerobic exercise, avoiding stimulants, and learning proper breathing. This helps normalize vision affected by anxiety episodes.
Coping with temporary distorted vision
Here are some tips for coping with distorted vision when it occurs:
- – Stop driving or operating machinery until your vision normalizes.
- – Have someone accompany you if walking around.
- – Use extra caution on stairs, curbs, or uneven surfaces.
- – Remove eye makeup and switch to daily disposable contacts if vision clarity worsens.
- – Use artificial tear drops to lubricate eyes if you have bilateral blurred vision.
- – Place a cool cloth over your eyes or splash cold water on your face for headaches with visual disturbances.
- – Dim the lights and limit screen time to avoid visual overstimulation.
- – Lie down and apply a cold compress if you feel lightheaded.
When to see an eye doctor
Consult an ophthalmologist or optometrist promptly if you experience:
- – Sudden loss of vision
- – Flashing lights or floaters
- – Halos around lights
- – Double vision
- – Vision that is still distorted after a week
- – Eye pain or redness along with vision changes
- – Increasing frequency of distorted vision episodes
- – Clumsiness, headaches, nausea, or dizziness accompanying visual disturbances
An eye doctor can perform a dilated retinal exam, check eye pressure, evaluate eye alignment, and examine the lenses, retina and optic nerve to find any abnormalities requiring treatment.
When to see a doctor
Consult a primary care physician or neurologist if distorted vision occurs along with:
- – Weakness, numbness, dizziness, difficulty speaking or walking
- – Severe, unrelenting headache
- – Unexplained weight loss
- – Head injury or trauma
- – Fever, neck stiffness, rash, or light sensitivity
- – New onset seizures
- – Double vision with eye misalignment
These neurological symptoms warrant medical investigation to uncover the cause. Doctors can order blood work, imaging tests, spinal taps, or specialized eye exams to diagnose more serious conditions.
Preventing distorted vision
While distorted vision cannot always be prevented, you can reduce risk by:
- – Getting regular eye exams to detect any vision problems early
- – Managing health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure
- – Avoiding recreational drug use
- – Wearing protective eyewear for sports, construction work, gardening, and other activities
- – Taking frequent breaks during lengthy computer use
- – Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels
- – Staying hydrated and avoiding getting overheated
- – Reducing stress and managing anxiety
- – Discussing side effects with your doctor before starting new medications
Catching eye diseases early and controlling systemic disorders helps preserve vision and reduce distortion risk. Protecting your eyes from injury is also important.
Conclusion
Distorted vision can result from various eye conditions, neurological issues, medication effects, diabetes, and anxiety. The visual disturbances are often temporary, but prompt medical evaluation is key. Testing determines if emergency intervention is needed for potentially permanent vision loss. Treatment targets the specific cause to restore normal sight. Recurring or persistent distorted vision requires an eye doctor or neurologist’s oversight to prevent long-term damage. With proper care, distorted vision can often be reversed.