Does anyone get vision changes with anxiety?

[jemma09]

Hi all

Hope you are doing okay!

i just wondered if anyone has experienced vision changes with their anxiety. Things like seeing stars, bright flashes, blurred vision, spots in vision that are unfocused etc?

I was unwell recently with a combination of symptoms which I am sure wasn’t anxiety as it was different to anything I had ever experienced before. My vision completely changed starry and couldn’t see. I had pins and needles and numbness through my whole body, really dizzy and nauseous like a fainting feeling. Along with my hearing sounding far away and ringing. I wasn’t feeling anxious at the time or beforehand, I felt not right so I went to get check out and all my tests were normal. My iron was starting to be a bit low so I’m on supplements which hopefully helps. But my doctor said we’ll probably never know why I felt unwell, it sometimes just happens. I’ve also had my eyes tested and they are normal.

but today I got a weird starry part of vision in one eye, it’s starting to ease now after about 20 minutes with no other symptoms at the time. I have a slight headache now. However, I have been feeling very anxious the last 5 days and nearly went into panic attack yesterday.

but I just wonder if me being really anxious has pushed this recent vision change and if anyone else has experienced this?

thank you so much and take care!!

[jemma09]

I also wanted to note maybe it was an aura for my headache I now have, I do get regular headaches.

please excuse me, my anxiety is getting the best of me at the moment! I recently had my covid vaccine and that’s been making me feel worse.

[Petal22]

Hi jemma09,

Im sorry you have been feeling this way.

In my experience with anxiety I had pins and needles and other symptoms.

Please see your gp and discuss your vision changes…

Sending you kindness

[geoff]

Hello Jema, I'm sorry this does happen to you, I've found some information for you which you might have already found,

' Common physical symptoms of anxiety include changes in your heart rate, breathing, and even vision. This includes, in some cases, developing blurred vision'.

People who are highly stressed and anxious can feel that their body isn't coping and it can cause pressure on the eyes, resulting in blurred vision, and I'm not a doctor to qualify this and that they can suffer from eye strain during the day and this also happens with me when I tired, cause my vision in the morning is completely different than in the afternoon.

Take care.

Geoff.

[jemma09]

Hi Petal22

Thank you for your reply. I saw my doctor today and we are trying to get me some treatment for migraines to see if that helps.

Take care

- Jemma

[jemma09]

Hi Geoff

Thank you for your reply. This is good to know, I didn't realise some of this! I appreciate your info. I saw my doctor today as well so we are working out some treatments for migraines to see if it will help too.

Take care

- Jemma

[geoff]

Hello Jemma, please let us know how the treatment is going.

Geoff.

[jemma09]

Hi Geoff

Thank you for checking. I have to wait until I next feel a migraine aura coming on to try my new medication. So it's a bit of a waiting game at this point!

All the best,

Jemma

[geoff]

Hi Jemma, please let us know how you get on.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[JonA]

Hi Jemma,

This post bought me back to when I had disassociation or depersonalisation (forget which is which) with anxiety, and as a consequence my mind went to the extremes of making things / people seem smaller, or less of a threat response. I genuinely thought I was going insane driving to work and the other cars seemed like a video game, and everything (life) felt blurry / fuzzy around the edges or unreal. The scary part was I didn't realise I was self harming as the pain bought me back to reality.

I hope you are doing ok, I've been a lot better following getting the medication right and regular therapy or EAP throughmy employer, but it's amazing what the mind can do to you under pressure.

Take care,

Jon