Blurry vision and headaches can be a scary and frustrating experience, and it’s even worse when they happen simultaneously. While it may seem like this headache is just because of your tired eyes, it’s possible that headaches with blurred vision are signs of another underlying problem.
Introduction
There are many reasons why you may have a headache and blurry vision. Headaches combined with blurred vision can be caused by many different conditions.
A headache and fuzzy vision can be a sign of something simple and not so serious such as eye strain, or it could be a signal of something more serious, such as a tumor, or glaucoma.
A blurry vision and headache can have various causes, so people should always consult a doctor if they experience severe symptoms. Some conditions are more complicated than others, so it’s good to find out what the issue is as soon as possible.
In this article, we will explain to you in detail as to what are the causes of both headaches and blurred vision and what is the treatment for them.
Potential Eye-Related (Ocular) Causes of Headaches with Blurred Vision
The following eye conditions can cause a headache with blurred vision. Good thing is that regular eye exams will help correct, treat, or manage the conditions so that you won’t experience any associated symptoms.
Eye Strain
Eye strain is very common with the overuse of digital screens – eye ache and blurry vision are two of the most common symptoms. Other possible symptoms include:
- Strain or squinting to see
- Dry eyes
- Neck and shoulder pain
If you want to maintain good eye health, it is important to follow the 20-20-20 rule. This means taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes to view something at least 20 feet away.
To avoid digital eyestrain and other hazards, it is recommended to use a good ergonomic seating position and limit the screen time to an hour or less. As well as that, try to avoid any light that produces glare on the screen and never use your computer in dim light as this can cause eye fatigue.
Refractive Errors: Myopia, Hyperopia, and Astigmatism
Myopia or nearsightedness is the eye condition where the close-up vision is good, but your distance vision isn’t. Other symptoms of myopia are eye strain and squinting when viewing distant objects.
A person with hyperopia or farsightedness can see things more clearly at a distance, but their vision gets blurry when they look at something up close. Eye strain and squinting are also common symptoms.
Astigmatism is the eye’s ability to see things clearly at some distances, while other distances are blurry. When one has astigmatism, they may find it difficult to see up close or far away clearly. One may also experience diplopia or double vision, having problems with seeing in the dark, or squinting.
Age-Related Blurry Vision or Presbyopia
Presbyopia is an age-related eyesight change that usually starts to affect people over 40 years of age, resulting in a need for closer objects to be moved far to see them properly.
Lazy Eye or Amblyopia
Amblyopia is a common condition in children where one (or both) eye(s) fails to achieve normal vision. It can cause them to squint or blink more frequently and they may have a poor perception of the depth of the objects around them. The two eyes may also look misaligned.
Silent Stealer of Sight or Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition where there is too much pressure in the eye. It brings on a variety of symptoms, such as eye ache and redness, blurry eyes, loss of vision, and nausea.
Strabismic and Non-Strabismic Binocular Visual Dysfunction
Strabismus is a condition in which two eyes can’t achieve a strong image and both may wander off in different directions. The most noticeable symptom is that one eye will focus on an object while the other will either roam down, up or inward.
Shifting Eye Movement or Nystagmus
Nystagmus is defined as involuntary, rhythmic movements or shaking of the eyes. People who have it often experience balance issues, dizziness, and sensitivity to light. They may also find themselves holding their head in odd positions.
Clouding of the Lens or Cataract
Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of your eye. They can give off symptoms, such as increased sensitivity to light, poor vision in low-light conditions (nighttime), and the double vision that you see when you look at bright lights.
Optic Neuritis
The optic nerve is like a cable. It transmits light signals from the eye to the brain and helps you see. When it is swollen or damaged, you will not be able to see clearly.
The causes of optic neuritis are not known. It may be related to multiple sclerosis or virus-like mumps or measles.
As symptoms of optic neuritis progress, affected individuals may experience blurred or dim vision, colors may look faded and you might start to experience pain in the back of the eye.
Usually, corticosteroids are prescribed for optic neuritis treatment. They have the ability to stop symptoms in their tracks, but occasionally they can even help improve your sight long-term so that it becomes better like it was before you were diagnosed.
Common Systemic Causes of Blurred Vision with Headache
Love blood sugar
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is a common, but serious condition that occurs when a person’s blood sugar drops below target levels. Symptoms include shakiness, irritability, fatigue, anxiety, and hunger
High Blood Pressure
You can have high blood pressure without symptoms developing for years. Symptoms can include nose bleeds, shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue, and headaches.
Low blood pressure
Dehydration can cause low blood pressure because it causes the body to lose fluid. Complications can result from untreated low blood pressure, such as dizziness, fainting, and shock.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious condition that needs immediate medical care. It occurs when there’s a buildup of this type of gas in your bloodstream.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas that can be produced by burning wood, gas, or other fuels.
Carbon monoxide poisoning may also cause symptoms such as red skin, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, confusion, weakness, and loss of consciousness, along with blurred vision and headache.
Neurological Causes for Headache and Blurry Vision
Migraine is the major neurological cause of blurred vision and headache. Some people who suffer from migraine headaches may experience a number of symptoms, such as light sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, tunnel vision, and eye floaters. These effects typically last less than an hour.
Pseudotumor Cerebri is one of the causes of blurry vision with a headache. Symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri may include fluid collecting in the brain, ringing in the ears, dizziness, depression, nausea, and vomiting.
Another major cause of headaches with blurred vision is stroke. Symptoms include confusion, numbness or weakness in half of the body/face, trouble speaking, and lack of coordination. In addition to disrupting your brain function and causing a headache, this may affect your eyesight.
Brain trauma is another major cause of headaches with cloudy vision. It is an injury sustained to the brain caused by severe head injury, falls, or vehicle accidents. Symptoms like confusion, dizziness, sleepiness, ringing in the ears and memory loss are common with this type of injury.
Temporal arteritis is also responsible for headaches and blurry vision. It occurs when blood vessels near your temples become inflamed. It is characterized by a throbbing, persistent headache on both sides of your head, jaw pain, fever. Signs and symptoms often include eye pain or blurred vision as well as temporal artery tenderness.
How to treat headaches with blurry vision?
Treatment would depend on the cause and severity of your blurred vision and headache. Different options will be available for each condition – with different medications and treatment regimens
In emergency situations, the first thing you should do is get immediate medical attention. Your doctors will then be able to let know what possible options you have for treatment.
When you come in to see your doctor, they will choose the right screenings to help diagnose serious conditions, so that treatment can start as soon as possible. They will also do more detailed evaluations and treatments if necessary.
When to see a doctor?
Blurred vision and headache may be a sign of a severe health condition. In case of emergencies, you should immediately contact your physician.
For any medical condition, talk to your doctor about an appropriate consultation and treatment. Your doctors can usually rule out a serious condition and diagnose the problem to start the treatment.
If your symptoms are less intense and only last for a short time, or you have been diagnosed with migraines, make sure to give your doctor the necessary information to help diagnose you.
Takeaway
Blurred vision and headaches are symptoms that may be experienced by individuals suffering from medical conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure, among others.
In addition, ocular migraine, as well as eye strain, may also produce headaches with blurry vision. When this is the case, it is important for the patient to consider seeking professional care as soon as possible for relief.
Sources
- https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm
- https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-optic-neuritis
- https://www.cdc.gov/injury/features/traumatic-brain-injury/index.html
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