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The eyes are the window to the soul; but they could also offer a glimpse into your emotional state, according to a top optometrist.
Charlotte Cook, an expert at Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists, says that several common eye conditions could actually be a sign that you are feeling stressed out and under pressure.
Whereas short term stress can actually enhance our vision, it’s the chronic, ongoing kind that has a detrimental impact, she explains. ‘When we are feeling overwhelmed and anxious, our pupils dilate to enhance vision and our bodies release high levels of adrenaline to trigger the fight or flight response. But when we experience extreme and sustained periods of stress, the pupils can stay dilated for a prolonged period and this, coupled with higher-than-average levels of adrenaline, can have a negative impact on our eyes,’ says Cook.
Here, she shares the common eye conditions to watch out for as a sign of chronic stress – and how what to do when they occur.
Charlotte Cook says your eyes can potentially tell you a lot about your stress levels
Eye twitching
‘Eye twitching is a common complaint most people have experienced and is mostly linked to sleep deprivation. But many are unaware it can actually be triggered by periods of stress and anxiety, due to facial muscles tensing. It is not usually painful but can cause minor discomfort and in most cases will be a temporary condition which will subside in line with stress levels.
‘For immediate relief, applying a warm compress to your eye can help. Or you can try eye drops, as sometimes dry eyes can trigger this condition. Most of the time the twitching will subside after a few minutes on its own, and longer term sufferers should tackle triggers including high stress, fatigue and excess caffeine intake, to reduce the chances of eye twitching happening regularly.’
Light sensitivity
‘Consistently dilated pupils during periods of stress can lead to light sensitivity – making it difficult to see in bright light, a condition known as photophobia. As our pupils dilate, they let in more light – too much in some situations, which causes serious strain on your eyes.
‘Ease symptoms by managing the amount of light entering your eyes. Avoiding bright sunlight and fluorescent lighting and wear a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses or even tinted eye shields while in bright sunlight to help to ease any discomfort. For those who work at a computer, turn the brightness on your screen to as low as possible to make it easier on your eyes. Seek advice from your optometrist on the best solution for you.’
Always seek advice from an optometrist if you notice any worrying symptoms
Blurry or tunnel vision
‘Losing some peripheral vision and only being able to focus clearly on objects straight in front of you can be another sign of stress-related vision problems.
‘The cause of this is two-fold: you can experience dry and watery eyes, depending on how your body handles stress, which has a direct impact on our clarity of vision. Additionally, stress can cause us to breathe more shallowly which reduces the blood oxygen levels throughout the body, including our eyes – leading to vision problems and some sight loss.
‘Treating tunnel vision will depend on the root cause so always best to consult an expert on the best treatment options. Where loss of vision is caused by high pressure in the eye, prescribed eye drops can be effective in improving the problem.’
Eye strain
‘Those who suffer from longer term anxiety can experience eye strain throughout the day, as our eyes are more sensitised to movement. This can also be exacerbated by extensive screen time, which can go hand in hand with work-related over-exertion and burnout.
‘There are many ways to help reduce eye strain cause by digital devices – it’s all about getting into good eyecare habits. Follow the 20-20-20 rule – every 20 minutes, look at an object at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
‘Eye drops can help refresh eyes throughout the day, and computer glasses can help reduce eye strain too. While it sounds obvious, remembering to blink throughout the day stops the surface of your eyes from drying out and research shows we tend to blink a lot less while using digital devices.’
Eye drops and breaks from devices will both help with eye strain
Vision loss
‘Chronic stress can also lead to vision loss, due to a build-up of pressure inside your eyes putting you at greater risk of optic nerve damage. Vision loss can then affect an individual’s mental health further, as they find themselves in a downward spiral.’
‘While many of these symptoms are often a temporary symptom of stress, they can sometimes indicate a more serious condition, so it’s important to get your eyes checked if this happens on a regular basis.’
