Vision changes: blurriness, glare, and new floaters
Some vision changes are part of aging. Others need quick attention. This page helps you sort out what’s likely going on and what to do next.
Section: Common Issues
Get help right away if you have sudden vision loss, a “curtain” over vision, new flashes of light with lots of floaters, severe eye pain, a painful red eye, or vision changes with weakness/slurred speech.
Step 1: Describe the change (this is more useful than “my eyes are worse”)
- One eye or both? Cover one eye at a time and check.
- Sudden or gradual? Minutes/hours vs weeks/months.
- Blurry, distorted, dim, or spotty? Central blur vs side vision.
- Any pain, redness, or discharge?
- Any flashes, floaters, halos, or glare? Especially at night driving.
Step 2: Track for 3–7 days
- When is it worst? (morning, evening, after reading, after screens, outdoors)
- Does blinking help? (often points toward dry eye)
- Does a “pinhole test” help? (look through a tiny hole made by curling your finger—if it sharpens, prescription may be off)
- Recent changes in blood sugar, blood pressure, or new medications?
Common (often fixable) causes
- Needing a new prescription (glasses/contacts changes).
- Dry eye (scratchy, gritty, fluctuating blur, worse with screens or wind).
- Cataracts (glare, halos, “washed out” colors, trouble at night).
- Medication effects (some meds can cause dry eye or blurred vision—don’t stop meds without guidance).
- Blood sugar swings (vision can blur when glucose is high or changing quickly).
Quiet problems are still worth checking: glaucoma and macular degeneration can develop gradually. Regular eye exams matter even if you “feel fine.”
Safe first steps you can try this week
- Schedule an eye exam (optometrist or ophthalmologist). Ask if you need a dilated exam.
- Improve lighting at home: bright, even, no glare (a simple lamp can change reading comfort).
- Try preservative‑free artificial tears for dryness (especially if you use drops often).
- Take screen breaks: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Wear UV sunglasses outdoors and use good night‑driving habits.
Questions to ask at your eye visit
- “Is this likely cataracts, dry eye, glaucoma, or macular degeneration?”
- “Do I need a dilated exam or imaging today?”
- “Is it safe for me to drive at night?”
- “Are any of my medications contributing to blurry vision or dry eye?”
- “How often should I have eye exams given my health history?”