Accurate Communication is Important to Receiving Proper Eye Care

If you’ve experienced some type of change in your vision, you may think that you could describe this well to your ophthalmologist. Most people do. However, from our perspective, we often hear patients describe their vision as cloudy or blurry. These are two very common symptoms, each of which could indicate a variety of underlying conditions. To administer the right care, the doctor must have an accurate understanding of the symptoms that are occurring. This information can then be coupled with test results to fully understand the scope of eye health. Here, we discuss how you might better identify if your vision is cloudy or blurry, and what each symptom may mean.

What is Blurry Vision?

When something is blurry, it is out of focus. Think of this as looking through a camera lens at an object that looks fuzzy. When you adjust the camera lens, it comes into sharp focus. Blurry vision may occur directly in the central visual field and also at the periphery. It is wise to pay close attention to peripheral vision, which is your side vision, from time to time. Vision can become blurry for several reasons, sometimes, it is a refractive error in the way that light is passing through the eye. Examples include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Vision may appear blurry when cataracts have developed, or as a symptom of age-related macular degeneration or corneal abrasions. An ophthalmologist evaluates all parts of the eye to better understand where blurry vision may be coming from and how to treat that part of the eye.

What is Cloudy Vision?

Cloudy vision may feel like looking through a dirty window or through fog. Sometimes, when vision first becomes cloudy, it feels like you could blink it away, like there is a film on the surface of the eye. Like blurriness, cloudy vision may indicate a variety of underlying conditions. Most people associate this symptom with cataracts, but there are other reasons it may occur. To understand what is causing cloudy vision, an ophthalmologist may inquire about other symptoms, such as dry or watery eyes, seeing halos around light, or poor nighttime vision. Cloudy vision may also occur if contact lenses are worn for too long or are worn without adequate cleaning. Fortunately, if contact lenses are the problem, removing them and making sure they are thoroughly cleaned in between wear should eradicate the issue.

Since cloudy and blurry vision nearly always result from an underlying condition, these are not symptoms to ignore. With regular ophthalmic exams and care from a board-certified ophthalmologist, clouding and blurring may be corrected or managed so you can enjoy your best quality of life.

Contact us today at 847-677-2794 to schedule your comprehensive eye exam with a friendly, board-certified ophthalmologist near Chicago.