Your vision becomes cloudy, and you’ll notice symptoms like decreased visual acuity and blurry vision. The effects of alcohol on eye health range from temporary https://micegov.in/bookkeeping-3/vertical-analysis-in-the-balance-sheet/ discomfort to permanent damage. While an occasional drink may not lead to serious eye health issues, excessive and chronic alcohol consumption poses a significant risk. If you are concerned about the effects of alcohol on your vision, please consult with your eye specialist. So, keep an eye on your alcohol consumption for the sake of your eyes and your overall health.
- However, binge drinking and long-term alcohol abuse can damage the optic nerve, leading to vision loss.
- However, rehabilitation and support can help people maximize their remaining vision and make life easier.
- You will have reduced attention power and your night vision will weaken along with seeing double.
- However, when alcohol is consumed, it slows down the reaction time of these muscles, making them less responsive to changes in light intensity.
- For example, dry eye may be treated with artificial tears, prescription eye drops, or ointments.
Can drinking alcohol lead to or worsen macular degeneration?
Alcohol disrupts the communication between the brain and sensory organs (e.g., eyes and ears), leading to changes in vision, hearing, and perception of the sounds and sights around you. Alcohol causes irritation and inflammation along your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, disrupting normal digestive function. Evidence suggests that certain alcoholic beverages, such as wine and beer, appear to accelerate the movement of food and waste through the digestive system, which can lead to diarrhea.

Health News
- A number of studies link increased risk of cataracts to high levels of alcohol consumption compared to those who either don’t drink or drink only in moderation.
- Alcohol relaxes your eye muscles, making it harder to focus.
- This stress on the eyes is a significant factor in causing cataracts.
These symptoms may be temporary and can be caused by heavy or chronic alcohol use. Short-term effects of heavy drinking can become long-term impairments. A person may suffer permanent double vision or blurring because of weaker eye muscles resulting from an alcohol-induced thiamine deficiency. 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. Light to moderate alcohol consumption should not have a lasting impact on your vision. However, in the short-term, even one drink can have negative alcohol vision loss effects on the eyes (e.g., dry eyes).
Glaucoma Progression
This occurs because alcohol disrupts hydration and nutrient absorption, both of which are essential for maintaining eye health. For casual drinkers, vision changes from excessive alcoholism drinking are usually temporary. The risk of blindness is more common in people who are chronic, heavy drinkers. This happens for a few reasons, and this guide from Purpose Healing Center will help you understand them. Optic nerve damage brought on by alcohol will sometimes lead to a condition called toxic amblyopia.
What should I avoid if I have macular degeneration?

Many of the documented cases of blindness caused by drinking alcohol come from methanol poisoning. When methanol is processed by the body, it becomes formic acid and formaldehyde. These compounds are toxic to the optic nerve and have the risk of sudden, permanent blindness if you don’t seek medical treatment right away.
How Alcohol Affects the Optic Nerve
However, if your double vision doesn’t go away once you have sobered up, it may indicate a more serious issue in the eye. Call your doctor if your double vision persists longer than it should. Rapid eye movements or involuntary eye movements are often called nystagmus and can affect one or both eyes. These involuntary eye movements can cause your eyes to jump in every which way.