For years, people have been debating the effects of alcohol on humans. Some say the consumption of alcohol is safe for human health while others disagree with them. However, too much consumption of alcohol unquestionable effects adversely on human health.
People who drink too much are well aware of the adverse effects that alcohol holds on to their organs. Excessive alcohol affects human eyes as well; it creates a distorted and blurry vision. A permanent abuse of alcohol may become a reason of permanent vision loss too.
There are numerous dangerous problems that drinking alcohol can possess over our eyes. They can be categorized as short term and long term. Let’s discuss both of them in brief:
Short-term Effects Of Alcohol
Eye twitching :
Eye twitching (myokymia), which is precisely eyelid twitching, can be triggered by excessive alcohol intake.
Slower pupil reaction:
Alcohol triggers the iris to constrict and dilate at a much quicker speed. This becomes an issue for drivers who have been drinking since they cannot adapt to oncoming headlights quickly.
Increased Dryness :
According to a study conducted by Hallym University College of Medicine, consuming alcohol even in small amount can increase and worsen symptoms of dry eye.
Reduced contrast sensitivity:
Being able to create distinctions between different objects based on lightness and darkness, which is an essential skill when driving at twilight, is decreased by alcohol. A study conducted at Western University in Ontario, Canada revealed that alcohol can reduce the ability of the eye to correct/adjust vision for contrast and brightness by 30 percent at a blood alcohol level around the legal driving limit.
Long-term Effects Of Alcohol
Many of us are aware with the impacts of alcoholism on the liver but only a few of us are aware that there exists a serious risk of optic neuropathy, which is a painless loss of vision initiated from drinking alcohol excessively. This permanent loss of eyesight is also many times referred to as amblyopia or toxic amblyopia.
Reduced vision due to vitamin deficiency:
Significant drinking affects the absorption process of vitamins and nutrients in the liver. Just to let you know, lack of vitamin B-1 due to alcohol consumption can lead to a weakness or paralysis of the eye muscles. Vitamin A deficiency due to alcoholism may cause: night sickness, thinning of the cornea, corneal perforation, dryness, and even blindness caused by irreparable injury.
Risk of AMD: The American Optometric Association recognizes excessive alcohol intake as a risk factor for AMD (age-related macular degeneration).
Numerous studies have demonstrated increased cataract formation in patients with higher alcohol consumption.
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: Regrettably, women who have excessive exposure to alcohol in the womb can permanently alter the vision of the infant. Many times, eye problems are connected with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome such as underdevelopment of the optic nerve, and difficulty with eye coordination, and the tendency for eyelids to droop.
Tobacco-alcohol amblyopia: As discussed above, it is also known as Optic neuropathy, individuals who drink excessively can develop this condition which causes a painless loss of vision.