Approximately a quarter of people in Australia suffer from an anxiety disorder. In an increasingly complex, fast-paced and digital world, maintaining mental health can be challenging. But what many people don’t understand is that mental health can affect physical health. One of the most common – and concerning – effects of poor mental health is compromising vision.
Stress and Vision: A Complex Relationship
The physiological effects of stress on vision can be manifested through various symptoms. Examples of these symptoms include:
- Blurred vision. If objects appear unclear or hazy, refractive visual problems like near-sightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism result in blurred images.
- Eye strain or difficulty focusing. You might catch yourself squinting when reading or using a screen.
- Dry eyes, which can be identified by a gritty sensation in your eyes or irritation.
- Migraines or headaches, which can be marked by throbbing in your head, plus sensitivity to light and sound. Many migraine sufferers find an effective way to manage their symptoms is to lie in a dark room – reflecting the intimate relationship between the eyes and physical wellbeing.
- Sensitivity to light. Your pupil naturally expands or contracts when exposed to light. If you find experience sensitivity to light, it could indicate an issue with the pupil’s ability to regulate light intake.
- Twitching eyelids – the involuntary spasms of the eyelids can be intensely irritating.
- Temporary vision changes, such as seeing halos or floaters (these are patterns that you may see overlaying your regular vision). If you are experiencing frequent vision changes, it’s time to take action.
Stress, therefore, has a complex relationship with vision. Doing regular eye tests gives your optometrist the opportunity to carefully assess your wellbeing, including your stress levels, to develop a proactive solution. But why does mental vision induce these effects on vision? Let’s explore further.
Mental Health and Vision
Common conditions like anxiety and depression can have a severe impact on eye health.
For example, stress triggers the release of hormones that can reduce tear production. The result? Dry, irritated eyes. Likewise, anxiety-induced stress can increase light sensitivity, making bright environments uncomfortable or potentially painful. Moreover, floaters can be more noticeable during periods of stress.
Depression can also affect colour perception and sensitivity to light. And a colour eye exam can help detect changes in colour perception that may be linked to depression or stress, offering deeper insights into the connection between mental health and vision. While having a severe impact, a holistic approach will be able to tease out the complex relationship between depression and vision.
When considering cases like these, prescribing some medications or lenses is simply insufficient to treat the root cause: suboptimal mental health.
Holistic Solutions
An optometrist can explore holistic methods with you that manage stress and improve vision. For example:
- Mindfulness. By increasing awareness of bodily sensations – one of mindfulness’s central practices, you can closely observe how your mental health affects your eye health.
- Relaxation techniques. When you experience any of the distressing effects of visual disturbances, such as migraines, eye strain, or visual changes, relaxation techniques can help reduce the frequency and severity of these symptoms. Incorporating eye vision training into your routine can help alleviate the impact of stress on your visual health, making it an essential component of holistic eye care.
This holistic approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of your visual symptoms; facilitating a tailored treatment plan that addresses your physical and mental health in tandem.
Mental health is innately tied to vision. By gently probing your mental health and visual symptoms, skilled optometrists can develop a plan to nurture your mental and visual health for effective long-term results.