Can Stress Affect the Eyes | Stress Awareness Month

You might know that stress does not only affect your mental wellbeing. Stress can also affect your physical health. Chronic stress can increase your risk of headaches, digestive problems, and even heart attacks. But did you know stress may also affect your eyes?

April is Stress Awareness Month, and many of us can benefit from learning how to combat stress and protect our health. 
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Does stress lead to eye problems? 

It is possible for stress to play a role in eye problems. But first, it is helpful to understand the stress response.

When you become stressed, your body’s fight or flight response is activated. This causes an increase in certain hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.

The fight or flight response is helpful if you’re in physical danger. The release of adrenaline and cortisol helps the body prepare to fight the perceived danger or flee. The heart rate and breathing increase. The muscles tense and get ready for action.

The problem is not all stress presents a danger, yet our body still reacts with the release of the stress hormones. Over time, if we have chronic stress, overexposure to stress hormones can lead to health problems. It can also potentially affect the eyes. High levels of cortisol and adrenaline may affect the blood flow between the brain and the eyes, increasing the risk of eye diseases. 
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Potential eye issues related to stress

If you have chronic stress, you might increase your risk of certain eye issues. Eye symptoms related to stress may come and go or occur frequently. The symptoms can affect one eye or both and may occur more often when stress levels are high. Possible eye issues related to stress include the following:

Eye twitching: Most of us have experienced an eye twitch or spasm from time to time. Stress can trigger eye twitches. Although an eye twitch is not dangerous, it can be annoying.

Eye strain: Eye strain can occur due to activities such as looking at a computer screen or driving long distances, but stress may also cause eye strain. Symptoms may include blurry vision, headaches, and itchy and dry eyes.

Eye floaters: Eye floaters involve small darks specs that you might see across your field of vision. Floaters often come and go, but some studies show a link between stress and the incidence of floaters.

A 2017 study in the Journal of Ophthalmology involved 61 participants that had floaters but no underlying eye disease. The study also involved 34 control subjects without eye floaters. Stress levels were assessed using a questionnaire. The results indicated that people that rated their stress higher were more likely to develop eye floaters.

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC): CSC is a potentially serious eye condition that involves an accumulation of fluid under the retina, which can lead to vision loss. The exact cause of CSC is not known, but according to the American Society of Retina Specialists, there is a link between developing CSC and stress. One theory is that the increase in naturally occurring cortisol during times of stress may increase the condition in some people.
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How to manage stress 

Managing stress is beneficial for your overall wellbeing, and that includes your eye health. Below are several ways to lower stress levels.

Exercise: Getting regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage chronic stress. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. The best type of exercise is the one that you will stick to.

Practice some form of relaxation exercises: Relaxation exercises, such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing are great options.

Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can make it more difficult to handle everyday stressors. Aim for between seven and eight hours of sleep a night.

Foster relationships: Spending time with friends and family can also help lower stress levels. Try to make time to spend with the people you care about. Also, don’t forget that spending time with your four-legged friends also lowers stress.

Seek professional help when needed: If stress levels are high and self-help tips don’t help, consider seeing a mental health professional. Seeking professional counseling is sometimes needed to get a handle on stress.

We hope the information above is helpful. If you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600.