Headache, insomnia or bad balance? See an eye doctor

Refractive eye defects in the form of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism are nowadays very easy to solve in developed countries, either with glasses, contact lenses or laser surgery. Nevertheless, they can, like other more serious eye defects, be overlooked in some cases and cause very unpleasant health complications that significantly reduce the quality of life.

If we notice that our vision is out of focus or double, we have problems with night vision, we are sensitive to light or our color perception has changed, our steps will automatically lead to an eye doctor. But there are many other symptoms associated with vision, for which the connection is not so clear.

1. Headache – muting will not solve the problem

Eye defects such as astigmatism and poor diopter correction for distance or near vision can lead to frequent migraines and headaches. The pain does not have to be limited to the area around the eye. It can also bother you on the top of your head or the back of your head, with the fact that it can even spread to your shoulders and neck. “If someone suffers from repeated headaches, it is not advisable to suppress them only with medication, but to reveal the causes. Untreated refractive eye defects, including myopia, farsightedness or astigmatism, may be among them. Therefore, in case of repeated headaches, I recommend visiting an ophthalmologist and undergoing a preventive eye examination ” he says MD Jakub Ventruba, Ph.D., from the Lexum eye clinic in Brno.

2. Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and a feeling of vomiting are other symptoms that can point to untreated astigmatism, but also to a much more serious disease. And that’s glaucoma. “We distinguish between chronic and acute glaucoma. Chronic glaucoma does not show any symptoms at first, and its vision deteriorates gradually. At the same time, early detection of this disease is key in its treatment. In the case of acute glaucoma, clients will not only have blurred and foggy vision vision and pain in the eye, but it can be just a feeling of vomiting or straight up vomiting,” points out MD Martin Fučík from the Lexum eye clinic in Prague Budějovická.

3. Disturbed sleep

Increased eye strain and discomfort during the day can also lead to problems with falling asleep and disrupting the sleep cycle. In addition, sleep apnea, one of the most common sleep disorders, can be associated with a variety of eye diseases. It can be related, for example, to the already mentioned glaucoma or droopy eyelid syndrome.

4. Anxiety and low self-esteem

Overlooking eye defects can affect the quality of performance and be the reason for reduced work productivity. However, poor vision can also make other everyday non-work activities, including reading or driving a vehicle, uncomfortable. Of course, this is also reflected in our mental state. Even if a refractive eye defect is detected and the client is prescribed glasses that match his needs, it may not be won. “Wearing glasses can have consequences on your mental state. Some clients do not feel comfortable with glasses, or are even ashamed of them. And they may not be comfortable with contact lenses either. A special group consists of those who come to us with presbyopia treated with multifocal glasses and complain for unnatural perception or dizziness. A 15-minute outpatient laser procedure can be the solution. Thanks to the state-of-the-art Presbyond method, we can also offer this to clients over 40 years old with symptoms of presbyopia.” he says MD Jakub Ventruba, Ph.D.

5. Affecting balance

Eye defects can also affect our ability to correctly perceive the surrounding space and balance. “If clients wear multifocal glasses due to the need to correct vision at different distances at the same time, they have to get used to a certain head position when looking at the computer or reading. In addition, multifocal glasses can cause difficulties when walking quickly up stairs or dynamic work. Complications with distortion and deformation image, but also with dizziness and headaches, is related to the fact that the surface of the multifocal glasses is loaded with optical distortion. This distortion is associated with an increase in diopters in the lower part of the multifocal lenses.” he explains Petr Hornych, DiS., manager of the Lexum opticians network. For example, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can further disrupt the balance. At the same time, affecting balance is particularly dangerous for older people, for whom it can increase the risk of falls and injuries.