Blurry, unclear, unfocused vision is one of the most common eyesight problems. And usually, it isn’t anything to stress over. For instance, blurriness could signify that your glasses or contacts prescription needs updating.
Every once in a while, though, fuzzy vision signals something more serious. You should always investigate what’s causing your blurry vision. Knowing the reason behind it can be the difference between experiencing the world in all its dimensions or not.
“Sight is such a valued sense, but there are still a lot of problems that fall through the cracks,” said Rajiv E. Shah, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism are refractive errors. They are some of the most common causes of blurry vision, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI).1 They happen when the eye curve gets in the way of light focusing directly on the retina. The retina processes light rays into signals the brain can read. Refractive errors may be some of the most straightforward errors to fix. In most cases, you only need a prescription from an optometrist or ophthalmologist for glasses or contact lenses. If you have one of those refractive errors, think about switching to bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses.
Additionally, LASIK laser surgery can permanently change the shape of the cornea to correct the problem in some people.
Presbyopia is also a refractive error, but it strikes most people after age 45.2 It means you have trouble focusing on things close up, like reading material.
So, if you find you need to hold magazines, books, and menus farther away from your face to read them, presbyopia could be causing your blurry vision.
As with other refractive errors, eyeglasses, contact lenses, and surgery can help you see better if you develop presbyopia. Dr. Shah explained that if you aren’t farsighted or nearsighted and don’t have astigmatism, reading glasses from the drugstore may be enough.
However, you should still see a healthcare provider to screen for any potential eye disease.
