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What Causes Tunnel Vision?

Tunnel vision is a highly disruptive condition, making it difficult or impossible to see objects that aren’t positioned directly in front of you. Without your peripheral vision, navigating the world becomes riskier, as you can’t clearly identify objects to your side. As a result, it’s critical to understand what causes tunnel vision and whether it’s correctable. Here’s what you need to know. 

What Is Tunnel Vision? 

Technically referred to as peripheral vision loss, tunnel vision is functionally the loss or diminishment of your peripheral vision. When it occurs, objects that aren’t directly in front of you become unclear or impossible to see. Essentially, your field of vision shrinks, leaving only the central part intact. 

What Causes Tunnel Vision? 

There are several potential causes of tunnel vision. In some cases, medical conditions impacting the brain can lead to the condition. Issues with blood vessels or nerves connected to your eyes or vision centers may also cause tunnel vision. 

Additionally, there are eye conditions that may lead to tunnel vision. Diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal detachment, retinal vein occlusion, and optic neuritis are all eye diseases that have the potential to cause tunnel vision. 

In some cases, migraines may lead to peripheral vision loss. The same is true of hypertension, concussions, and strokes. 

Is Tunnel Vision Serious? 

Any change to your vision is serious. With tunnel vision, the loss of your peripheral vision impacts your daily life. Along with altering what you can and can’t see clearly, it can lead to headaches, dizziness, and other uncomfortable symptoms, which are often highly disruptive. 

Additionally, some conditions require immediate treatment to have the best chance of restoring your vision. Since that’s the case, treating any occurrence of peripheral vision loss as a serious medical event and seeking care immediately is wise. 

Finally, some causes of tunnel vision are also life-threatening. Conditions like strokes can lead to peripheral vision loss, though there may be other damage that isn’t causing immediately clear symptoms. If treatment is delayed, the stroke can cause more damage to the brain, which can lead to catastrophic outcomes, including loss of life. 

Can You Recover from Tunnel Vision? 

Whether tunnel vision is temporary or permanent depends on the cause of the peripheral vision loss. For example, tunnel vision relating to migraines often clears once the migraine subsides. If retinal detachment is the cause, tunnel vision isn’t recoverable unless the proper treatment option is available and pursued quickly. With diabetic retinopathy, stroke, or glaucoma, the peripheral vision loss is often permanent. 

As a result, it’s critical to see a medical professional or your eye care provider right away if you’re experiencing tunnel vision. They can determine the cause and recommend treatments that may restore your vision, depending on what underlying condition is responsible. Additionally, some causes of peripheral vision loss are life-threatening, making immediate care essential. 

At ECVA, the safety and health of our patients’ eyes are our priority. If you’re experiencing tunnel vision or simply haven’t seen your eye care provider in the past year, the ECVA team is here to help. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today. 

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When Is Eye Twitching Serious?

When you experience an eye twitch, it’s common to be concerned. Not only is the sensation uncomfortable or bothersome, but it’s hard to tell if the eye twitching is benign or related to a serious condition.  

If you are dealing with eye twitching and want to understand the cause, learn how to stop the twitch, and determine whether you need to see a doctor, here’s what you need to know.  

What Is an Eye Twitch?  

Eye twitching – also called blepharospasm – is a type of movement disorder. It causes involuntary movements around the eye, including involuntary blinking or trembling. Usually, the eye twitch is an annoyance but isn’t painful. Additionally, they typically stop on their own, though it can take a while for that to happen.  

Common Causes of Eye Twitching  

Eye twitching can be caused by a variety of situations, many of which are benign. Some of the most common reasons a person may experience an eye twitch include:  

  • Fatigue or Tiredness  
  • Stress or Anxiety  
  • Eye Strain  
  • Caffeine Consumption  
  • Nicotine Consumption  
  • Alcohol Consumption  
  • Medication Side Effect  

In those situations, the eye twitch usually resolves itself in some time. For example, after resting, a fatigue or eye strain-related twitch can subside.  

However, eye twitching can also be a symptom of certain medical conditions, some of which are serious. Here are some of the medical conditions that can have eye twitching as a symptom:  

  • Parkinson’s  
  • Multiple Sclerosis  
  • Bell’s Palsy  
  • Stroke  
  • Dystonia  
  • Tourette’s Syndrome  
  • Meige Syndrome  
  • Brain inflammation  
  • Corneal Abrasion  
  • Blepharitis  
  • Uveitis  
  • Conjunctivitis  

In these cases, a medical professional’s treatment is essential, not just for stopping the twitch. Without treating the underlying condition, symptoms can continue or worsen. Additionally, some of the conditions above can be fatal if left untreated.  

How to Stop an Eye Twitch  

In many cases, eye twitches caused by strain, fatigue, or tiredness will resolve on their own, particularly after some rest. For stress, relaxation exercises could make a difference. With anxiety, following your treatment regimen for acute episodes may provide relief. When it comes to consumption-related eye twitches, waiting for the substance to exit your system may be necessary to get relief from the eye twitch.  

However, if it’s related to a medical condition, treating the underlying condition might be necessary to alleviate the twitch long-term. If you have any of those conditions and are experiencing an eye twitch, you’ll need to work with your doctor to determine how best to alleviate the symptom.  

When to See a Doctor About Eye Twitching  

If you have a twitch lasting for more than 72 hours, spasms that also involve additional facial muscles, spasms preventing you from opening one or both eyes, signs of inflammation, symptoms of an eye infection, or pain, it’s best to see your doctor about your eye twitch right away.  

Additionally, if you have symptoms of any of the conditions above, you should also immediately see your doctor. If you’re experience drooping of facial muscles, slurred speech, or other signs of a stroke, call 911.  

Once you see a doctor, they can determine the root cause of the eye twitch. Then, they can create an appropriate treatment plan to address the underlying cause. This can include anything from medications to lifestyle changes to other forms of treatment, depending on the condition involved.  

Your Eye Health is Our Priority 

At ECVA, our staff works diligently to care for the eye health of our patients. If you haven’t had an eye exam recently or are concerned about an eye twitch, schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today. 

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What Is Your Eye Health IQ?

Many people have grown up knowing certain vision “facts.” They may have heard them from their parents as a child, passing the tidbit of vision along to their children as their parents did with them.  

However, some of this vision “wisdom” may or may not be true. If you are wondering what your eye health IQ is, here’s a look at some common beliefs and whether they are founded.  

Eating Carrots Boosts Your Eyesight  

This is a popular belief that is somewhat true. While eating any food won’t bring your vision back to 20/20 after it’s degraded, carrots contain vitamin A, a powerful antioxidant important for eye health.  

Reading in Low Light Damages Your Eyes  

This one is false. While reading in dim light might cause you to strain, leading to a headache, it doesn’t damage your eyes. However, it does become harder to do as a person ages due to natural changes that occur in a person’s vision over time.  

Screen Time Harms Your Vision  

Yes and no. While being in front of a screen doesn’t damage your eyes, it can cause some issues. Headaches, dry eyes, and blurred vision can occur, usually due to eye fatigue. People tend to blink less when they are concentrating on a screen, causing eyes to get irritated and tired. However, the screen itself isn’t causing permanent damage.  

UV Rays Can Sunburn Your Eyes  

This one is true. UV rays can burn your eyes just as they can burn your skin, causing your eyes to be red and itchy. Additionally, long-term UV exposure can lead to other kinds of eye damage, including to the retina. It may even promote the development of cataracts.  

Smoking is Bad for Your Eyes  

Here’s another true one. Smoking (including secondhand smoke) can be harmful to your vision. It may lead to the earlier development of cataracts and may increase your risk of macular degeneration and optic nerve damage, all of which can potentially lead to blindness.  

Squinting Damages Your Vision  

This one is false. While it may lead to headaches and crow’s feet wrinkles, squinting doesn’t harm your vision. It can actually help you focus. However, if you’re always squinting, it could signal a vision issue, like the need for new glasses or the presence of inflammation that’s making your eyes sensitive to light.  

The Eye Are the Window to the Soul  

While you can’t see a person’s soul through their eyes, you can find out a lot about their overall health. Certain eye symptoms could indicate the presence of other conditions. For example, dry eyes may suggest an autoimmune disorder, while blurry vision might occur in individuals with diabetes.  

Hopefully, you scored high on your eye health IQ test. If you haven’t tested your eyes’ health recently, take this opportunity to schedule an appointment with your eye doctor. The ECVA team works diligently to care for our patients’ health and would be happy to check your eyes to ensure they are in the best shape possible. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.  

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What Is This Bump on My Eye!

Finding a bump near your eye is always startling. You may be wondering if it is dangerous or what you should do to handle it.  

How you should proceed depends on the kind of bump you find. If the lump is small and red – with or without a white head – and located on your eyelid, there’s a good chance it’s a stye. Here’s what you need to know about styes, including what they are, what causes them, and how you can prevent or treat them.  

What Is a Stye?  

Styes are usually small bumps that form on the inside or outside of your eyelid. They are typically a bit red and may present with a white head in some cases. At times, a stye may be sore, usually a side effect of inflammatory processes. However, it also may feel fine.  

Generally, styes appear on only one eyelid at any given time. However, it is possible to have multiple styes at once, including some on each eyelid.  

What Causes Styes?  

Styes aren’t unlike pimples. They occur when glands located on your eyelids get clogged and inflamed. When the gland clogs, it swells and can fill with fluid (pus). This causes it to get larger as time passes, at least until it opens up and drains.  

How to Prevent Styes  

Good hygiene practices can help you prevent styes. Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water before you touch your eye area. Additionally, clean your face with a mild cleanser regularly.  

If you wear makeup, remove it every night. You should also replace your eye makeup every six months, or after you have had a stye. Also, avoid sharing towels with anyone who has a stye, as the bacteria can transfer over to you, increasing your odds of getting one.  

How to Treat Styes  

In most cases, a stye will go away on its own within a few days. However, you can try to speed the process along a bit. First, don’t squeeze or “pop” a stye. That can lead to more inflammation and swelling, and potentially push an infection deeper into your eyelid.  

Instead, wash your hands with soap and water, and then soak a clean washcloth in warm (not hot) water. Place that over the stye to help encourage the gland to open. You can also gently massage the stye with clean fingers to try and open it up. Make sure to clean your face and eye area regularly. If you need a gentle cleanser, try baby shampoo.  

If you’re experiencing any discomfort, consider ibuprofen. It reduces inflammation and can reduce pain. Additionally, if you usually wear contact lenses, switch over to glasses until your stye heals. Also, make sure to thoroughly clean your contacts before you use them again, or switch to a new pair once you’ve recovered.  

Your Eye Health is our Priority 

Should you become concerned about a stye or aren’t sure that the bump is one, it’s best to see an eye doctor. They can identify the lump and recommend a course of treatment, if necessary.  

Our experienced team works diligently to keep our patients’ eyes healthy, including identifying causes of bumps that may occur. If you would like to make sure your eyes are healthy, schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.