Blurry vision is a concerning issue for patients and can hinder their work, so it is essential to know the causes of foggy vision and how to treat them. This article outlines the top 10 causes of eye fogging.
Many diseases can cause Blurry vision, some of which resolve spontaneously without treatment. However, consulting an ophthalmologist is always necessary because most cases require immediate treatment to prevent the patient from losing their vision.
The treatment for blurred vision varies depending on the cause and can range from rest, comfort, and wearing glasses to medical or surgical treatment in some cases. The accompanying symptoms of eye fogging (such as headaches, for example) are essential as they help in identifying the underlying disease and how to manage it.
Some of the blurry vision causes include:
- Cataracts (white water)
- Glaucoma (blue water)
- Refractive errors (long or short-sightedness)
- Retinal detachment
- Optic neuritis
- Retinal macular degeneration
- Lazy eye
- Brain tumors
- Corneal abrasion
- Migraine
1. Blurry vision due to cataracts (clouding of the eye lens)
Cataracts are one of the most important causes of blurred vision in the elderly, leading to foggy eyes due to changes in the nature of the proteins in the eye’s transparent lens, resulting in a change in its color to white.
A person is born with a lens made up of transparent proteins that allow visible light to pass through and fall on the retina. The retina, in turn, transmits visual information to the brain so we can see.
In the case of clouding of the eye lens (cataract), there is a breakdown of the proteins that make it up, causing it to become white (no longer transparent) and, therefore, not allowing light to pass through. This results in foggy eyesight in adults. Despite the common occurrence of cataracts in older individuals, it can also occur at younger ages.
Causes of cataracts
Advancing age is one of the most important risk factors leading to the development of cataracts and, thus, cloudy eyesight. Other factors that accelerate cataract formation include:
- Smoking
- Alcohol abuse
- Diabetes
- Prolonged exposure to sunlight
- A family member previously affected by cataracts
- Corticosteroid treatment
Cataract Treatment in Turkey
Generally, cataract-induced eye fogging is treated surgically through Cataract surgery (lens replacement surgery). Additionally, Laser treatment for cataracts is performed in Turkey for the elderly.
2. Blurry vision due to Glaucoma
If not treated promptly, Glaucoma, also known as blue water disease, can cause blurry vision, especially in the peripheral part of the visual field.
Glaucoma occurs when the pressure inside the eye rises due to increased secretion of fluid produced by its cells or drainage obstruction. The accumulation of this fluid inside the eye for a long time leads to pressure on its retina, resulting in decreased blood supply to its cells, gradual cell death, and damaging the optic nerve.
Blurry fuzzy vision starts peripherally towards the center, where vision becomes blurry at the edges of the visual field (peripheral field of vision, as if looking through a tube). If left untreated, eye fogging worsens, and the patient’s condition may lead to blindness.
Treatment of blurry vision due to glaucoma
Treatment varies depending on the patient’s condition and the type of Glaucoma, as there is open-angle Glaucoma and closed-angle Glaucoma. It is worth noting that vision loss due to Glaucoma is not treatable, so the patient should immediately consult an ophthalmologist if they experience Sudden Blurry Vision (ocular haze).
Usually, the ophthalmologist prescribes eye drops to treat blurry vision caused by Glaucoma. Some patients may need surgery to treat Glaucoma in the eye to improve their vision.
3. Blurry vision due to refractive errors
Refractive errors are one of the most common causes of foggy eyes. In the normal eye, light converges and falls on the retina at a specific point (central focus) due to the refraction of light as it passes through the transparent media of the eye. Visual information from this point gathers and is transmitted to the brain, enabling us to see objects clearly.
The cornea is responsible for the majority of light refraction. Therefore, any changes in its shape (similar to a dome) will scatter light instead of focusing it at the usual point. This scattering takes three forms:
Hyperopia
This occurs when the point of light convergence (after refraction in the transparent media of the eye) falls behind the retina, resulting in blurry visual information reaching the brain when looking at nearby objects, causing hazy vision.
Myopia
This occurs when the point of light convergence falls in front of the retina, resulting in blurry vision when looking at distant objects. Therefore, the patient needs to bring objects closer to their eyes to see them clearly.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism occurs due to deformation in the shape of the cornea, causing light to scatter and not converge at a single point. This leads to ocular haze in the patient and may be accompanied by headaches.
Treatment of refractive errors in Turkey
Milky vision due to refractive errors is usually treated by wearing corrective prescription glasses. These glasses are designed with lenses that suit each patient according to the type and degree of their refractive error. They aim to converge and focus light at a single point on the retina, thereby treating vision blurriness.
Some people may find wearing glasses bothersome or seek a permanent solution for blurry vision. In such cases, vision correction through LASIK surgery is performed. This surgery aims to reshape the cornea to refocus light on the retina at a single point. LASIK surgery is conducted in Turkey under the supervision of experienced ophthalmologists.
4. Blurry vision due to retinal detachment
Retinal detachment causes opacity in part of the visual field (the patient feels like a curtain is blocking part of their vision) and vision blurriness.
Retinal detachment occurs when the adhesion between the retina and its surrounding layer (the choroid, the nourishing layer of the retina) is disrupted. Due to this detachment, the retina loses its blood supply, causing sudden eye blurriness, which may progress to blindness if treatment is delayed. Learn more about the causes and symptoms of retinal detachment and how it is treated in Turkey.
5. Hazy vision due to optic neuritis
Optic neuritis causes blurry vision (especially when the body temperature is elevated, after bathing, or after physical exercise) in addition to pain behind the eye when moving it. Patients also find it challenging to discern colors properly (colors appear dull as if someone suddenly turned off the light). In this case, blurry vision in one eye may be seen.
Optic neuritis sometimes occurs after a viral infection (such as the flu) and may heal independently, but it is more common in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Blurry vision due to optic neuritis may be the first symptom of MS and may require treatment with steroids such as cortisone. Learn about the treatment of vision blurriness due to MS (multiple sclerosis).
6. Blurry vision due to Macular Degeneration
Also known as age-related macular degeneration, this disease affects the elderly and causes central foggy vision, making tasks like reading and other activities that require visual focus difficult.
This disease progresses gradually, and the blurriness of the eye increases over time. It may affect one eye only or both eyes. There are two types of macular degeneration: dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration.
The dry type usually progresses slowly over several years, but the vision loss it causes is untreatable. The only solution is to make an early diagnosis and halt its progression. In advanced stages, the dry type may progress to the wet type.
The wet type of macular degeneration progresses faster, with the patient experiencing eye blurriness in a shorter time, but there are more treatment options available compared to the dry type.
Treatment of blurred vision due to Macular Degeneration in Turkey
Treatment for dry macular degeneration involves nutritional supplements of vitamins and minerals to halt disease progression and prevent further vision deterioration in the patient.
Wet macular degeneration is treated in Turkey through injections of anti-vascular factors to target the vessels causing unclear vision. Laser therapy and phototherapy are also utilized, significantly improving the patient’s vision.
7. Blurry vision Due to Lazy Eye (Amblyopia)
Lazy eye (amblyopia) is one of the leading causes of blurry vision in children. Amblyopia occurs when one eye is weaker than the other in a child (due to various medical reasons, with refractive errors being a significant factor).
This causes the brain to rely only on the stronger eye for receiving visual information, neglecting the weaker eye, which becomes lazy and leads to blurred vision. This condition worsens as the child grows, so early diagnosis is crucial for treatment. Therefore, it is recommended that children visit a pediatric ophthalmologist at ages 3-5 to diagnose lazy eyes if they are present.
Children may exhibit several symptoms indicating they have lazy eye, including:
- Strabismus in the eyes
- Closing one eye while looking
- Tilting the head
Treatment of Blurry vision due to lazy eye
The treatment of lazy eye (after treating the underlying condition causing it) relies on making the brain depend on the weaker eye by occluding the stronger eye with a patch or using glasses with one opaque lens and one transparent lens. Eye drops may be used instead.
8. Blurry vision due to brain tumor
Brain tumors compress the nerve fibers that transmit visual information from the retina to the visual center, disrupting this transmission and causing vision blurriness.
The most common of these tumors are those arising at the expense of the pituitary gland below the optic chiasm. Pituitary tumors press on the optic chiasm, causing vision blurriness on the sides of the visual field. Consequently, the patient may bump into a lamppost with their shoulder because it is outside their field of vision due to damage to their optic chiasm.
Treatment of vision blurriness due to brain tumor in Turkey
The treatment of vision blurriness here primarily focuses on removing the brain tumor compressing the optic nerve. If the tumor involves the pituitary gland, it may be removed through the nose without opening the skull.
9. Blurry vision due to corneal opacity
Corneal opacity disturbs the visual field because the transparent cornea refracts light, and any defect in it causes blurry vision. It occurs as a result of injury from substances such as wood shavings or iron filings.
Other causes, such as infectious eye diseases, may also lead to corneal opacity. An ophthalmologist diagnoses and treats corneal opacity.
10. Blurry vision due to migraine
Migraines cause fuzzy eyesight in the stage preceding the headache, known as the aura phase, where the patient’s vision becomes blurry in addition to seeing colors and flashes during this phase.
Migraines are diagnosed by recognizing the pattern of headaches and other accompanying symptoms. Several quality treatments provide relief to the patient. Learn more about migraines and how they are treated in Turkey.
Blurry vision is a bothersome symptom. Early medical care is crucial in relieving and reducing subsequent complications. Regular check-ups with an ophthalmologist are also recommended to detect hidden diseases that may later cause Blurry vision.
References:
