The Effect Alcohol has on Eye Vision

January 10, 2016 by ·

I am sure everyone enjoys a nice cocktail once in awhile, especially when certain days can be stressful. However, consuming too much alcohol consistently can have a major effect on your eyesight now and in the future. Below you will find some short-term and long term effects.

Short-term effects:

Your reaction time is slower than normal due to alcohol consumption, so this means that your pupil will have a slower reaction time as well. The iris is extremely affected by alcohol causing it to be more constricted and dilated. This is something that is not safe. Drivers who have been drinking do not have the proper reaction time to deal with oncoming traffic and headlights. Another short term effect from alcohol is having a difficult time determining between different objects around you based how light or dark something may be. There was a study done at the Western University in Ontario, Canada that showed alcohol reduced the ability of the eye by 30 percent at a blood alcohol level around the the legal driving limit. You can also experience eye twitching as well as dryness by alcohol consumption.

Long term effects

When you consume an excessive amount of alcohol it can affect the absorption of vitamins in the liver. Vitamins are very important for someone to maintain a healthy eyesight.  If someone is not consuming enough vitamins because of alcohol it can cause many difficulties with your vision. That being said, thinning of cornea, and blindness due to retinal damage are just few examples of what can occur if you do not make smart decisions.  This is not an issue to take lightly, because if you do not take care your body there will be consequences that you will not want to deal with in the long run.

One thing to note is that most of the short term effects to do go away on their own, but the more  your experience these symptoms the greater chance you have of it turning into a long term issue, which then you should consult your doctor immediately.

 

Filed Under: Eye sight · Tagged With: , ,

Mud Runs Can Lead to a Loss of Eyesight

July 6, 2015 by ·
Ralph Cotran

Mud Runs Can Lead to a Loss of Eyesight

The fitness world is constantly going through trends and fads. These used to simply revolve around the latest diet or exercise routine but now, these trends are entering a different sort of territory. Recently, the exercise community has been obsessing over challenges that are meant to prove your strength of will, strength of character, and strength of body. These events are usually obstacle courses in which hundreds of people hurl themselves forward and push their bodies and minds to the limit, all while wading and running through mud that can be high as waist-level.

These events have clearly been exploding in popularity recently; I mean, how many friends of yours have taken part in a Spartan Race? However they also come with a downside that is rarely, if ever, discussed. There have been an increasing number of reports coming in about people getting sick and infected with bacteria and germs from these runs and I’m not just talking about things that are comparable to the common cold. The most recent story is of a woman who fighting for her life and eyesight against a serious case of necrotizing fasciitis that she picked up while doing a mud run earlier this month.

Not only is this woman in danger of losing her eyesight and/or life, but she’s also now stuck with over $100,000 in medical bills due to a lack of medical insurance. While her story is clearly an extreme example and shouldn’t be applied to all mud runs, the fact remains that these can cause far more serious injuries than sprains or broken bones. Last week, dozens of mud runners in France were hit by a brutal version of gastroenteritis that was caused by bacteria in the mud. In 2012, 22 runners in a Nevada mud race contracted diarrhea from animal feces in the water. While not all mud runs will make you sick, people should be aware that there are risks involved beyond physical pain.

For more information on this matter : https://www.yahoo.com/health/mud-run-leaves-woman-blind-in-the-eye-and-with-a-122422587708.html

Filed Under: Contact Lenses, optometry, Ralph Cotran, US Optical · Tagged With: , , ,