Stress can cause vision symptoms, directly and indirectly.
A long history of scientific evidence points to the effects that mental and emotional stress can have on the body. As an ancient defense mechanism against life-or-death threats (like wild animals), stress causes hormonal and physical changes that prepare us to fight or flee. In the modern world, the “threats” we face—work, bills, family crises, life changes—are a lot less likely to eat us—but our brains still react like they would if we were facing down a tiger.
In the short term, the physical effects of stress usually reverse themselves once the stressor is gone. Long-term stress, on the other hand, can cause damage to many of our body’s systems. In both cases, the symptoms of stress can be felt throughout our bodies—including in our vision.
Our eyes are delicate organs, and they’re closely tied to the health of our whole bodies. Many whole-body conditions cause corresponding eye health concerns, or reveal their first symptoms during regular eye exams. Stress is no different, and it can influence our eye health in a variety of ways, from causing symptoms directly to changing the eye symptoms we already experience from other whole-body health conditions. Fortunately, strategies exist to manage stress and the effects it can have on our vision. Here’s what you need to know.
Stress affects the whole body in ways that can also affect the eyes.
When we’re stressed, our bodies produce more of two main hormones: adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones cause an array of changes to heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, and other nutrient availability, and can slow down or stop certain “nonessential” body processes like digestion and growth.
Because our eyes contain so many blood vessels, changes to blood flow or to the substances in our blood can cause big corresponding changes in our eyes. This is especially true if we have preexisting conditions that already affect the tiny vessels in our eyes, like:
- Diabetic retinopathy: The blood pressure and blood sugar changes that come with diabetes already carry risks to the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Stress can raise blood sugar and blood pressure, increasing these effects.
- Age-related macular degeneration: Later stages of AMD, called wet AMD, are caused by abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage in the retina. Blood pressure increases can make these vessels more likely to leak.
- Glaucoma: This eye condition is connected with increased intraocular pressure, the fluid pressure inside the eye itself. This pressure, alongside other factors, causes damage to the optic nerve, the eye’s connection for sending images to the brain. The increased blood pressure and other changes caused by stress can raise the risk of damage from glaucoma, or even trigger an attack of angle-closure glaucoma, a medical emergency.
These conditions are three of the world’s leading causes of blindness, and all three can be managed, slowed, or prevented with proper vision care. Part of that care includes reducing the risk and severity of symptoms by controlling stress.
Another stress-related condition that can include eye symptoms is migraine. These painful neurological headaches sometimes include what’s called an aura, a temporary set of symptoms that can appear shortly before the headache itself begins. Auras can include visual disturbances like scintillating scotoma, a jagged or flickery disruption floating in your field of view. Migraine aura can also cause temporary blurred areas or loss of vision in one eye.
Sometimes, migraine aura symptoms can even occur without a headache. And while they will typically clear up on their own with no permanent effects, these same symptoms can also be a sign of serious medical emergencies like stroke. That’s why it’s essential to check in with your care provider as soon as possible if you experience new or changing vision symptoms.
Stress and anxiety can also cause eye symptoms directly.
In addition to whole-body health conditions, stress can contribute directly to certain changes in and around your eyes. If you’re experiencing unusual levels of stress, you might notice:
- Dry eyes or excessive tearing
- A twitch in the muscles around your eye, usually in the lower eyelid
- Eye strain
- Unusual sensitivity to light
- Blurred vision
Blurred vision—when it’s not associated with another underlying condition—typically only occurs in acute moments of intense anxiety, like a panic attack, and resolves once the attack is over. Light sensitivity and muscle twitches are also temporary, and should clear up when you’re less stressed.
The causes of eye strain and dry or teary eyes can be murky—they might come from stress alone, or from behaviors associated with stress, like long hours of work or studying. Rest and following the 20-20-20 rule can help to prevent or ease symptoms: every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something at least 20 feet away.
Heritage vision insurance helps you find peace of mind.
Stress is a real health concern in the modern world—and that fact risks stressing us out even more. But one crucial way to reduce stress and care for yourself is to ensure that you have access to regular, high-quality vision care. With regular exams, you and your care provider can track your eye health over time, identify issues early, and act quickly on any changes.
At Heritage, vision care is our family business, and increasing access is our mission. Health is guaranteed to change over time, but with a Heritage vision plan, you can be confident in finding top-notch care providers, handpicked by our team, to navigate the future with you. While it won’t remove every source of stress in your life, Heritage can help add a little bit of certainty to an uncertain world. Learn more about a Heritage vision plan today.