Specialists at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai have called for greater awareness of the link between persistent levels of psychological stress and vision problems
When individuals feel anxious or scared, the body releases certain stress hormones that can impact the brain and eyes.
While many of the symptoms on vision are mild, including blurred vision, dry eyes, and eye twitching, Moorfields experts warn of potentially more serious consequences if stress is allowed to persist, such as central serous retinopathy and hysterical amblyopia, a syndrome that can lead to a severe loss of vision.
According to Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, the link between stress and visual impairment is often misunderstood, raising the potential of serious conditions that could have been treated at an early stage.
Dr Miguel Morcillo, consultant Ophthalmologist, Specialist in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai, said, “So many of us are exposed to stress in our daily lives to the extent that it is almost considered normal to feel stressed. But the implications on vision can be serious and are frequently overlooked by physicians. While the symptoms of stress are mostly mild, if allowed to persist they can lead to significant problems.
“Ophthalmologists at Moorfields have to rule out any real eye problem, no matter the type of test required. But sometimes chronic and persistent stress is the cause. In certain cases, the patient must be referred to a psychologist or psychiatrist for a mental health approach. We are calling for greater awareness of this issue among members of the public and general physicians.”
When under stress, the body’s natural response is to produce cortisol, which in turn affects the sympathetic nervous system, causing vascular miss-function, vasospasm, brain processing problems or inflammation. As the eye and brain are sensitive to vascular changes, any imbalance can affect their normal function. Adrenaline is also increased during stress, which can lead to increased eye pressure, resulting in blurred vision.
According to ophthalmologists, eye twitching (known as myokymia) is a common complaint among highly-stressed patients. These involuntary contractions of muscular fibres around the eye are intermittent throughout the day and usually disappear after a few days.
Chronic stress may also cause dry eyes. Stress hormones increase blood flow in body areas such as muscles and the heart. As a result, the production of tears is limited and dry eye symptoms may appear, especially if the patient is exposed to screens for an extended period of time.
