To say the least, these days many people are suffering from stress, whether it is from COVID-19, the current state of the world or personal matters. But can any or all these factors influence your vision?
Anxiety is known to affect many bodily functions and your eyes are no exception. High levels of adrenaline caused by stress are known to elevate blood pressure, change your attitude and demeanor, curtail sleep, induce headache and muscle aches and even change your appetite. Other chemicals released during stress may also contribute and can affect your other organs, including your skin.
Visual symptoms can include light sensitivity (often caused by dryness), eyelid twitching, difficulty with visual concentration, swelling of the eyelids and even floaters.
To avoid these and other results of stress, it is best to play a mind game with yourself. Make a list of the things that make you happy. Make it part of your day to review these things. Think about fun activities, people, places, etc. to divert your attention. Consciously avoid activities that are disruptive. Don’t watch or read the news, if that bothers you.
If you are into meditation, this often focuses the mind by isolating unpleasant thoughts and experiences. Spend a part of your day purposely relaxing, maybe even seeking out relaxation exercises (check out YouTube). Some people find that exercise, like walking, works to reduce stress.
I call this CSP, “common-sense psychology”, and although I am not a psychologist or psychiatrist, I have found that ocular symptoms often improve if stress is controlled. There are treatments for many eye symptoms you can experience from stress (artificial tears, warm compresses, etc.) but getting to the root cause, eliminating or at least reducing the stress, is the best plan.