Anxiety and eyes

[Linds1]

Hi guys, I experience some pressure around my right eye and at times I think I see less clear, a bit blurry. I do not know it this is part of my anxiety or that my mind is playing tricks on me. Sometimes it comes along with a headache on the same side, so I am thinking this could also be a migraine. Does anyone have experience with this? It really worries me and I keep thinking I may have some scary disease.

[autumnthebrat2]

I had similar feelings and even had several bouts of double vision when my dad passed away. A couple of them when on ssris, but a couple with no meds at all. Hasn't happened in close to 2 years, but still get pressure in my left eye. Eye doc says eyes fine

[Linds1 in reply to autumnthebrat2]

Thanks for sharing your experiences with me.

[Jeff1943]

Yes, Linds1, anxiety can affect your eyes, anxiety can affect every part of the body so why should eyes be any different. Things can look blurry as you say, other visual symptoms include sensitivity to light, a shimmering effect on horizontal surfaces in bright light and scintilating scotomata which is the visual phenomena that often preceeds migraine but in my experience occurs without the migraine. Also, black shadows when you blink your eyes looking at a white syrface like a wall or clouds.

I've had them all and they have nothing to do with the condition of your eyes, everything to do with anxiety. None of these anxiety related symptoms can harm your eyes.

For reassurance you might ask your doctor for a referral to an eye specialist to take a look at the back of your eye but the big money is on anxiety.

The solution, as with all the symptoms of anxiety, is to accept it for the time being, just live with it, accept it calmly and attach less importance to it and in time it will pass. But if you keep stressing and testing and obsessingabout it and you generate the fear hormone which continues to keep your nervous system over sensitised and the eye symptoms will continue.

[Linds1 in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have an appointment with my eye doctor in 3 weeks, so I will let her check everything. I try to accept it and live with it, but at times is creeps me out.

[Jeff1943 in reply to Linds1]

Linds, if it creeps you out then you are not accepting it for the time being. I know how frightening anything to do with vision can be but you now know that visual symptoms of anxiety are quite common and they can't damage your eyes permanently and you will soon have the reassurance of an eye doctor too. So no need to fear these glitches in your nervous system, just accept them calmly and they will pass.

Earlier this year after an anxious episode I noticed a black mark when I squeezed my right eye when blinking, it was in the shapeif a crescent. But I knew what it was as I'd had it before so I didn't fear it. It took 6 weeks to go and it has gone completely. If I had stressed about it and kept testing and generating more and more fear hormones I'd probably still have it today.