How Stress Affects Your Vision

Stress may feel like an emotional condition, but being stressed can actually contribute to many physical problems. Many people don’t know that stress can even affect your eyesight. Keep reading to learn about the impact of stress on your eye health.

Stress and Cortisol

Stress comes in many forms and its effects can manifest both physically and mentally. When your body is under stress, it releases a hormone called cortisol — which is responsible for increasing your heart rate, respiration, muscle tension, blood pressure and the glucose in your bloodstream.

Too much cortisol in your system affects different parts of your body. For instance, it disrupts blood flow from your eyes to your brain — which can result in stress-related macular degeneration. This eye condition causes blurred vision or blind spots in your field of vision and is typically experienced by seniors. Since people have different reactions to stress, treatments can vary, from talk therapy to vision therapy.

Stress and Adrenaline

Our body responds to stressful situations by releasing adrenaline — sometimes called “The Fight or Flight Hormone.” This hormone causes your pupils to dilate, allowing more light to enter your eyes. The purpose of this is to help you detect potential threats easily. It’s a crucial body response, but if your body releases too much adrenaline, this can interfere with your eyesight.

If you’re constantly under severe stress, this means your body releases adrenaline frequently — which then causes your pupils to be constantly dilated. Over time, this can result in light sensitivity and the twitching and tightening of your eye muscles. These conditions can further lead to stress-related vision problems and eye discomfort.

When it comes to your eye health, Vienna Eyecare Center will always be a name you can trust. We provide quality services and products for various eye care needs. Call us at (703) 938-7633 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.