Home / Articles / Deterioration of vision due to nervous conditions
The importance of vision can hardly be overestimated; through it we receive the most information about the world around us. The human eye is a surprisingly balanced, but at the same time quite fragile structure. Therefore, when exposed to negative factors, the balance of this system can be disturbed, which often becomes the cause of the development of eye diseases. One of the reasons for the deterioration of vision is the ever-accelerating pace of life, constant tension, stress and worries that accompany modern people.
Why does vision deterioration occur due to nervousness?
If we consider the structure of the human eye, we can see that various muscles are responsible for its proper functioning, which constrict the pupil, change the curvature of the lens - the natural lens of the eye that ensures focusing of vision, etc. In addition, the good functioning of the visual organs depends on the normal circulation of intraocular fluid, as well as sufficient blood supply and tissue nutrition.
Mental experiences and stress lead to excitation of the nervous system, as a result of which excessive tension of the eye muscles occurs, the shape of the eyeball changes, vasoconstriction occurs, and the tissues begin to experience a lack of blood supply. The constant overstrain of the eye muscles that occurs due to nervous conditions causes their improper functioning, leading to the development of refractive errors - myopia, farsightedness and astigmatism. In this case, people usually resort to wearing glasses or contact lenses, but as a result, the eye muscles weaken even more and the problem gets worse. And insufficient blood supply to the retina and optic nerve leads to the emergence of pathological processes that threaten the development of glaucoma and other very serious diseases.
How does stress affect vision?
A moment of stress is marked by an increase in blood pressure and a simultaneous increase in the content of adrenaline in the blood, the excess of which is transformed into chemicals that have a narcotic effect on the body. This cannot but affect vision. At the moment of strong emotions, complete blindness may even occur as an extreme reaction to a stressful situation.
In psychology and physiology, two types of stress have been studied: “good” and “bad”. In the first case, positive stressors act, and the state caused by them is called eustress. An example is the feeling of falling in love, pleasant surprises, the birth of a child and many other joyful events. In the bad version, we are talking about distress, which is what leads to health problems, including with the eyes.
A stressful situation is reflected in the brain through the senses. It is negative factors that cause the fastest reaction. The body mobilizes to eliminate the threat and a “fight or flight” response to stress occurs. It was first described by the scientist psychophysiologist Walter Cannon. He noted that a sharp increase in adrenaline in the blood immediately causes increased breathing, dilated pupils and tunnel vision. Tunnel vision syndrome is expressed in a person’s loss of peripheral vision and the eye’s perception of only those images that fall on the central part of the retina. An association arises with a telescope. In the process of evolution, a simple logic of changes in the state of the eye has developed: danger causes the dilation of the pupil as the main opening for the entry of light - the wider, the better the person’s orientation in space and, accordingly, the greater the chance of salvation. This logic worked in times of lack of artificial lighting. Nowadays, under altered conditions, pupil dilation can cause visual disturbances in the form of blurring of the real picture or aberration. As a rule, these visual disturbances and features appear only under severe stress and are temporary.
Increased breathing and vision in a stressful situation are closely interrelated. The state of hyperventilation with frequent breathing leads to oversaturation of the human body with oxygen, generally by 40-50%, and a drop in the level of carbon dioxide. It is this imbalance that causes the appearance of “floaters” and “stars” before the eyes.
Stressful situations can have different durations. The described symptoms accompany short-term stress. Long-term problem situations can cause additional disorders in the form of dry mucous membranes, eye twitching, increased eye pressure, and, as a result, migraines. All these factors can lead to serious eye diseases and decreased visual acuity.
How to avoid vision deterioration
In order to maintain good vision, you need to try not to succumb to stress and relax more often. To relieve overstrain, especially if your professional activity involves working on a computer, special eye exercises are well suited, which are best performed on a regular basis.
Eye exercises:
- Close your eyes and then open your eyes wide. Repeat the exercise 5-6 times.
- Look up, down, to the sides without moving your head. Repeat 3 times and then do the same with your eyes closed.
- Rotate your eyes clockwise and in the opposite direction. Repeat 3 times, then perform the exercise with your eyes closed.
- Blink rapidly for a minute.
- Stand near the window, look for some point or scratch on the glass. Look at it for 15 seconds, then for the same time, turn your gaze to some distant object outside the window. Borrow back to the point on the glass. Repeat 3-5 times.
- Rub your palms until they become hot. Then close your eyes for a few minutes, relax and imagine something pleasant, for example, the seashore or a forest landscape.
Proper nutrition is of great importance for eye health. The diet must include foods rich in vitamins A, C, D and E. Experts especially recommend eating fresh blueberries, which contain a substance that restores visual pigment. You can take special vitamin and mineral complexes for eye health, drink herbal teas that strengthen vision and have a calming effect on the nervous system.
The ARTOX Clinic offers diagnosis and treatment of any eye problems at affordable and affordable prices. Our experienced specialists will help you regain and maintain good vision.
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Visual impairment due to VSD
Vegetative-vascular dystonia is a condition caused by an imbalance in the functioning of various parts of the peripheral nervous system. Its manifestations may be different.
Among them, a group of symptoms related to vision stands out. Their difference from the manifestations of eye diseases is that with VSD, “trouble does not come alone.” This means that simultaneously with the visual disorder, other deviations in well-being occur. However, the human body is individual, and exceptions are possible to every rule, and any pathology that is not life-threatening can develop into something more over time.
How it manifests itself
Visual disturbances of various types do not appear in everyone with vegetative-vascular dystonia. However, some patients complain of symptoms such as:
- Moving black spots (“floaters”) in the field of view;
- unclear visibility, blurry spots, disturbance of the sharpness of the “picture”;
- pain in the eyeballs;
- light flashes, single or multiple;
- redness of the eyes;
- darkening of the eyes;
- dark circles under the eyes with enough sleep;
- decreased visual acuity during attacks of VSD.
It should be noted that vision deterioration in dystonics often manifests itself gradually over time. If VSD is not treated at all, preventative measures are not taken, and the central nervous system is overloaded, this may have adverse consequences in the future.
Causes affecting visual impairment
Neurocircular dystonia implies phenomena associated with disruption of the nervous regulation of organs and tissues. This dysfunction can affect parts of the body responsible for vision: the retina, optic nerves, blood vessels located around the eyes, etc.
Thus, VSD can affect the functioning of the smooth muscles of the iris. In addition, the structure of the organs of vision contains muscles that regulate the degree of curvature of the lens, which refracts light. With nervous disorders, the tone of these muscles changes. There are hypotonicity and hypertonicity of muscles, both of these conditions contribute to distorted visual perception.
With VSD, in parallel with dysfunction of the peripheral nerves, disturbances in the functioning of blood vessels occur. This leads to insufficient nutrition of certain organs. The eyes and surrounding tissues are no exception.
It is the insufficient supply of nutrients and oxygen that leads to the appearance of dark circles around the eyes and redness of the eyelids. During the acute course of vegetative-vascular dystonia, during a crisis, spasms of small vessels can cause pain in the eyes and visual disturbances.
Provoking factors
Why do some people with VSD syndrome have no visual disturbances, while others suffer from them constantly? We have already mentioned the uniqueness of each organism as a single large system. The sensitivity of certain organs and cells is completely different for each person. This also applies to the organs of vision.
However, there are a number of factors that can cause and then aggravate the visual symptoms of VSD. We will talk about them briefly.
Increased anxiety
Anyone in a stressful situation can feel as if unsettled: it becomes difficult to concentrate, think clearly, and see the world clearly. And to see – often in the literal sense. There is a temporary deterioration in vision “due to nervousness”, which soon passes.
For some people, anxiety is a personality trait. It only brings harm to a person. However, everything is not so simple. The specifics of mental activity of the brain are different for everyone.
The superposition of brain activity on an individual current situation can cause phobias, attacks of fear - panic attacks. During a panic attack, vision deteriorates due to a special condition of the central nervous system.
Visual information is simply not perceived by the brain or is perceived distorted.
Nutrient deficiencies
No matter how banal the advice about proper nutrition may sometimes seem, there is no escaping it. A person’s diet has a direct bearing on the state of their vision.
A lack of vitamin A, vitamins of other groups and microelements impoverish the nutrition of cells responsible for visual signals. Cells cannot fully perform their work.
Brain cells, optic nerves and many others need the supply of necessary elements.
Circulatory disorders
With VSD, blood pressure often changes, and jumps can be frequent. Under the influence of pathological changes, the walls of the capillaries gradually become thinner. The flow of blood carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells becomes less.
Poor circulation leads to deterioration in tissue nutrition. Cells experience oxygen starvation and lack of essential vitamins and microelements. In turn, this prevents them from performing their “working functions” efficiently and generally has negative consequences for the visual organs.
Causes of red eyes
Red eyes are a common manifestation of neurovascular dysfunction. Perhaps the change in color itself does not have much effect on your well-being at first - except perhaps if you look in the mirror. The appearance and, accordingly, the mood changes. With VSD, the picture is usually supplemented by other manifestations: pressure surges, headaches, etc. In such a state there is no time for beauty.
Redness of the eyelids and especially the sclera of the eye is associated with the condition of the blood vessels. With vegetative-vascular dystonia, they often experience spasms. If the spasm is prolonged, the blood circulation of the protein membrane and adjacent tissues is disrupted, and blood stagnates in them.
During an attack of VSD, loss of consciousness may occur. Fainting may leave a bright red spot on the eyeball. This indicates capillary damage due to the impact.
Causes of bruises
With VSD, bruises under the eyes and swelling in the eye area may appear. They make a person look unhealthy. Even if there are no other symptoms, the systematic appearance of swelling and dark circles in the eye area should alert you.
The cause of bruises is prolonged overstrain of the eye muscles due to an imbalance in the functioning of the nervous system.
Clinical manifestations
A distinctive feature of visual disturbances in VSD is the suddenness of their manifestation. The most common symptom is darkening of the eyes. It is accompanied by a feeling that the earth is “floating” and disappearing from under your feet. This is a subjective perception. However, due to decreased visibility and (most often) a sharp jump in blood pressure, falling in this state is easy.
You need to be prepared for the fact that your vision may become dark when you suddenly move your head or jump up (especially from bed in the morning). In general, with VSD, any sudden movements or sudden changes in body position are contraindicated! This should become the rule.
A frequent manifestation of VSD is ripples in the eyes. This can happen when reading, writing, sewing. Unexpectedly, a person stops distinguishing letters, seeing threads, etc. In other words, small objects merge, he ceases to perceive them. Either instead of letters, identical spots and dashes are seen, or the image disappears as such.
Often, visual impairment occurs against the background of nervous shock. However, with dystonia, vision problems rarely occur in their pure form. They are also accompanied by other manifestations characteristic of this syndrome. Symptoms are varied, each case of VSD is individual.
With VSD, there is aching or tingling pain in the eyes. Its cause is spasm of the eye vessels and oxygen starvation of tissues. It depends on how large an area of tissue is affected whether the vision will completely darken, whether darkening of individual areas will appear, and whether pain will appear.
Symptoms also depend on the location of the cells suffering from hypoxia. If the blood supply to the macula of the pupil, where the cone cells responsible for clear vision are concentrated, is disrupted, then objects will be perceived as blurry. With a lack of nutrition of the smooth muscles of the eye, visual acuity decreases.
What to do in cases of visual impairment
First of all, you need to lie down. This will ensure a rush of blood to the brain. If ghosting of objects, flashes of light, front sight, etc. cause you fear, it is better to close your eyes. Vision is completely restored within 5-20 minutes, provided there is absolute rest.
Your morale is very important. The less panic and negative thoughts, the sooner your physical condition will improve. After all, different parts of the nervous system and their functions are closely related to each other.
You should be aware of the fact that disturbances in visual perception during VSD do not pose a threat to life. If you do an ultrasound or MRI, most likely no abnormalities will be found in the brain.
A blood test will not show inflammatory processes. The cardiogram will also be good. The examination is only necessary to ensure the presence of VSD, and not more serious diseases.
And dystonia can only be diagnosed by exclusion.
Even knowing that your diagnosis is related only to dystonia, you should listen to your body. If disturbances in visual symptoms occur frequently, intensely, this gives rise to suspiciousness in a person and causes panic attacks, you need to visit a doctor. Such manifestations of VSD can cause complications. Including further deterioration of vision, eye diseases.
Treatment and prevention
Treatment of visual disorders associated with vegetative-vascular dystonia is carried out in conjunction with the elimination of other symptoms of VSD, as well as its causes.
In most cases, special treatment for floaters and other symptoms may not be necessary. Measures that are more preventative than therapeutic often help:
- Maintaining a daily routine;
- active lifestyle;
- transition to a balanced, balanced diet;
- strengthening the immune system;
- eliminating reasons for worries and worries (if possible);
- changing your attitude towards life;
- reducing time watching TV, working at the computer, reducing other eye strain;
- regular eye exercises;
- stopping drinking alcohol and smoking;
- spending a long time in the fresh air;
- eliminating any overload of the central nervous system.
The body begins to be saturated with oxygen, nutrients, rest and gradually recover. Because of this, the cells responsible for normal vision begin to work more harmoniously.
The same applies to vascular cells, nerve cells, etc.
If symptoms of eye disorders remain, you need to visit doctors - a therapist, an ophthalmologist, and undergo laboratory tests.
It is possible that an examination of the fundus of the eye and the vessels feeding the tissues of the eyes will be carried out.
Based on the totality of complaints and examination results, doctors will give recommendations and prescribe the necessary treatment. Putting the first drops in your eyes just because they helped your neighbor is the worst decision you can make in this case. Remember: self-medication is strictly prohibited!
Source: https://onevrologii.ru/vegetososudistaya-distoniya/narushenie-zreniya-pri-vsd
VSD and vision
Due to the constant increased or, conversely, decreased tone of blood vessels, with vegetative-vascular dystonia, a general impairment of visual acuity is observed. Deterioration of vision during VSD does not really frighten the VSD student - his vision gradually decreases and he does not see anything wrong with it.
A completely different reaction is observed when an acute attack of vision loss occurs - sparkling ripples in the eyes. The person does not understand what is happening to him, and this frightens him very much. As a result of such an acute attack of vision loss, a panic attack may begin.
And then everything follows a well-known path - ambulance, Corvalol, pills. Do something! Help, I'm dying!
In patients with VSD and panic disorder, such attacks are not uncommon.
To prevent an attack of vision loss from causing fear, you need to know how it begins, its signs and course, as well as what needs to be done.
Ripple in the eyes.
A sudden loss of vision in the form of an attack can occur against a background of physical fatigue or weakness caused by an acute (cold, flu, food poisoning) or chronic illness. Such an attack begins with the sensation of a slight ripple in the eyes. These gas ripples may be felt unevenly in the right and left eye. In one of them it may be more, and in the other less.
It may start in only one eye, and after a couple of minutes in the other. How does it feel? Symptoms of visual impairment are as follows. You stop distinguishing small objects at first. The text appears blurry and illegible. You can't read or write. If you can’t focus your eyes on the letters, you simply stop seeing them.
Gradually, spots appear in the eyes, the ripples in the eyes intensify, lightning and sparks begin to flash before the eyes. You see a blurry picture of the space around you. There is a feeling of unreality, unsteadiness and disorientation. It is impossible to clearly see even large objects, for example, your palm.
The ripples in the eyes continue to intensify further, and turn into continuous flickering and blurry vision. You stop distinguishing some parts of the space around you. Such an attack is especially dangerous when performing work that requires increased attention - driving a car, working with power tools, etc. Therefore, you need to stop any work during such an attack.
The condition becomes somewhat similar to the symptoms of dizziness. This attack is felt especially hard in low light conditions. If you go into the bathroom and forget to turn on the light, you will not be able to see the bar of soap on the floor that you accidentally dropped. Such an attack of sudden vision loss does not require any treatment.
Taking any medications during such an attack is useless. You can just to reassure yourself that I did take something, put a Validol tablet under your tongue. What should be done? It is necessary to take a horizontal position, lie down on a bed or bench to improve blood supply to the parts of the brain.
Close your eyes so that the sensations perceived by the eyes cannot cause fear. After 10-20 minutes from the onset of the attack, visual acuity, after a period of almost complete loss, will begin to recover on its own. The recovery process will take place within a few minutes.
This symptom does not threaten you in any way.
There is no need to run to the hospital and do an MRI of the brain: - What if something is wrong there? There is no need to be examined by an ophthalmologist. Everything is clear - you are completely healthy, and some small deviations cannot cause such a condition. It's all your VSD's fault. Vision problems with VSD are quite common.
The reason for the attack of sudden loss of vision during vegetative-vascular dystonia and panic disorder is that there is a sudden narrowing (spasm) of the blood vessels that supply the eye area with necessary substances. Vasospasm occurs due to an increased concentration of fear hormones in the blood. The cells of the fundus and retina begin to lack oxygen and their normal functioning is disrupted.
The most interesting thing is that such a symptom can occur against a background of complete calm. You were just sitting at the table and looking out the window, and then it began... Why a spasm of these particular vessels occurs and at this very moment is impossible to answer. Each person has his own symptoms of VSD that frighten him the most.
An attack of sudden loss of vision is included in the main complex of symptoms of VSD. And, if you didn’t have it before, but now it has appeared, then this only indicates a general weakening of the body. You need to reduce your physical activity, get more rest, and, in some cases, increase your dose of anti-anxiety medications.
Treatment of an attack of sudden loss of vision during VSD cannot be separated from the general treatment of panic disorder. If the latter is successful, this symptom will also appear less frequently and then disappear.
Some berry crops that improve vision and can grow in your garden plot. In addition to improving vision, blackberries are the only berry that has a calming effect on the human body.
Source: https://vsd-lechenie.com/377-vsd-i-zrenie.html
