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Running from the 11-16th of November, Alcohol Awareness Week sheds light on the effects of alcohol consumption and how to make changes if you need. The theme of this year’s campaign focuses on the idea of change. In today’s article, we look at the effects that excessive alcohol consumption can have on vision and sight.
According to the World Health Organisation worldwide, 3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol which represents 5.3% of all deaths. Alcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions. Drinking alcohol is associated with a risk of developing health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders, including alcohol dependence, and major noncommunicable diseases such as liver cirrhosis, some cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Whilst many associate these kinds of illnesses with heavy drinking, many are also unaware of the effects that alcohol can have on our eyes. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause both short and long-term effects and it is important to be aware of both.
Short-term effects of alcohol on your vision
Drinking alcohol reduces reactions and reflexes (one of the main reasons why it’s dangerous and illegal to drink and drive). Slower pupil reaction makes it more difficult to clearly distinguish between different objects based on lightness and darkness.
What’s more, alcohol can cause blurry and distorted vision and while everyone reacts differently to different amounts of alcohol, most who drink excessively will experience this. There is a delay between the brain and the eyes due to the slow pace of communication between neurotransmitters in the brain which weakens the eye muscle coordination.
Overconsumption of alcohol can also result in an increased occurrence of dry eye and eyelid twitching. Symptoms like these will likely stop once you have stopped drinking.
Long-term effects of alcohol on your vision
Long-term effects of alcohol abuse can have detrimental consequences to vision and eye health. In extreme cases, toxic amblyopia, the result of a toxic reaction in the optic nerve which causes permanent vision loss.
Excessive alcohol may increase your risk of age-related macular degeneration; WHO’s report revealed that the average person’s daily consumption is 33g of pure alcohol, which is the equivalent of 2 glasses of wine. A study in Australia revealed that drinking more than 20g of alcohol a day results in a 20% increased chance of developing early AMD compared to those who consume no alcohol.
Poor diet and over-consumption of alcohol may also be related to developing cataracts.
Prolonged alcohol abuse will eventually affect vision through vitamin deficiency. The liver can only process so much alcohol at a time and heavy drinking can affect the absorption of vitamins in the liver which are needed to maintain healthy eyes and good vision.
Studies have shown that too much alcohol consumption can actually change eye movements in young adults; alcohol affects various areas of the central nervous system, including visual functions.
It is advised that you consider the recommended units of alcohol. You should also remember to attend regular eye examinations as your optician can help to identify any problems with your vision.
For more information on changing your relationship to alcohol, visit https://alcoholchange.org.uk/.
