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Re: Vision Problems After Allergy Attack
Karen wrote:
I'm in my early 50's and obviously because of my age, I started needing "readers". A year ago, I finally got a prescription for glasses that I wear as needed. I have astigmatism in my left eye and extremely good distant vision in my right eye. Six months ago, I got a job where I use a computer almost all day so I got a prescription for bi-focal computer glasses that allowed me to see the screen clearly and read paperwork when I looked down. Approximately 3 weeks ago, I had bad allergies so I spent the day in bed reading. After a few hours of reading (with my prescription glasses), I looked outside and everything was blurry. It was almost like my eyes deteriorated overnight. My distance vision is now blurry and things that I could read, like a clock a few feet from me, are also blurry. My eyes haven't recovered and I'm afraid I've damaged them. Help!
Dr. Virginia Donati's response:
Hello Karen,
First of all, don’t worry! It is impossible to damage your eyes by simply using them. What you may be suffering from is accommodative spasm. This is similar to pulling a muscle after a long run (especially if your glasses happen to be a little weak). Another possibility that we must consider here is diabetes. Sometimes sudden changes in blood sugar can cause a sudden and often drastic change in your vision. Either way I think it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your optometrist. He/she will be able to help with the blurry vision. Also, if it’s been a while since your last physical exam, it may be a good time to visit your family Dr. as well.
Dr. Donati
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