Alcoholic Eyes: Can Alcohol Affect Your Eyes?
Alcohol can also impair the function of the tear glands, resulting in dry and irritated eyes. Additionally, alcohol abuse can contribute to nutritional deficiencies, including a deficiency in vitamin B1 (thiamine), which is crucial for maintaining healthy vision. It is very common for people who have this condition to find themselves unsure of what to do to fix it. Your first step is to visit your doctor to discuss your treatment options.
Blurred Vision
Alcoholic face is a series of obvious facial changes from excessive alcohol use. A red face, puffiness, and changes in the look and feel of your skin are all physical signs of too much alcohol. Chronic alcohol abuse has been linked to a whole host of issues affecting the eyes, as well as virtually every other system in the body. Explore the structured journey of addiction recovery substance abuse counseling definition with our comprehensive guide to rehab.
How Alcohol Abuse Can Lead To Dependence
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. The more you drink, the higher your risk is for developing any of these conditions. Also a common by-product of liver disease, jaundice is characterized by yellowing of the skin and sclera (the whites) of the eye. Some alcohol abusers suffering from jaundice will also experience darkening of the skin around the eyes, mouth, and legs. A more serious side effect of heavy drinking is a yellowish tint in the whites of your eyes. This is a sign of jaundice and the beginnings of liver disease or cirrhosis.
Embarking on the journey to recovery from addiction involves navigating the challenging phase of substance withdrawal. Gain insights into understanding and coping with withdrawal symptoms effectively. From recognizing the nuances of withdrawal to addressing its duration and severity, equip yourself with vital information for a smoother path towards healing. Alcohol in tears may also directly affect the surface layers of the eye. After drinking, tears can contain traces of alcohol, which can further trigger inflammation and cause damage to the eyes.
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. This disruption may not only result in less overall REM sleep but can also lead to a rebound effect in the second half of the night, with an increase in REM sleep. This can cause symptoms similar to REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), where individuals act out their dreams due to incomplete muscle paralysis during REM sleep. Alcohol can also have an impact on involuntary movements, including the dilation and constriction of pupils. Alcohol often causes pupils to dilate (increase pupil size), making it harder to adjust to light changes. Even though this effect is temporary, dilated pupils may have an impact on the ability to drive safely at night or to transition between brightly lit and darker environments.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Possible treatments include corrective lenses or glasses to correct blurred or distorted vision and use of eye drops to address bloodshot eyes. A person who experiences vision issues should see an ophthalmologist — a doctor specializing in eye care. The doctor can help diagnose an underlying condition and provide appropriate treatment. The effects may be short term, such as blurred or double vision, or they may be long term and potentially permanent. Remember that an addiction to alcohol goes further than just physical harm. In addition to these physical signs of alcoholism, be sure to watch out for the other symptoms that come with addiction.
How Alcohol Affects Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep
One of the most visible signs of heavy drinking is the appearance of “alcoholic eyes” – a term that refers to the red, bloodshot eyes, and glassy look often seen in those who drink excessively. Alcohol abuse can cause various types of damage to the eye, even permanently damaging the optic nerve or contributing to conditions like macular degeneration, cataracts, or glaucoma. In the short term, alcohol abuse can cause eye discomfort, blurry vision, bloodshot eyes, and sensitivity to light.
Early diagnosis can help manage these conditions and prevent further damage. For those with alcohol use disorder, professional treatment is crucial for overall health, including eye health. Regular and excessive alcohol consumption can have a significant role in the onset and progression of various eye diseases. The toxic effects of alcohol on ocular tissues, changes in blood pressure, and dehydration all interplay to affect eye health negatively. By limiting alcohol intake, individuals can potentially slow the advancement of pre-existing eye diseases and protect their vision from the detrimental impact that alcohol may have on the eyes. It is advised for those with eye diseases or concerns about their eye health to discuss their alcohol consumption with a healthcare provider.
- We’ve explored how alcohol can significantly affect your vision, both temporarily and over the long haul.
- This is one of the scariest, but it is a very likely consequence of consistent alcohol use.
- Alcohol can also have an impact on involuntary movements, including the dilation and constriction of pupils.
- One of the main reasons for damage to the eyes from alcohol abuse is thought to be vitamin deficiency from long-term alcohol abuse.
- Our dedicated team understands the complexity of substance use disorder, including its negative effects on eye health and overall well-being.
This helpline is answered by Treatment X LLC, an addiction treatment provider with treatment facilities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. Available information does not suggest that an occasional drink is likely to cause permanent damage to the eye, but because alcohol affects everyone differently. If there is a concern regarding alcohol-related eye damage it may be a good idea to avoid alcohol altogether.
