Why Do I Have Blurry Vision in One Eye?
Blurry vision in one eye can be unsettling, but it isn’t always serious. Often it’s just tired eyes or a prescription that needs updating.
Maybe you noticed it while scrolling on your phone. Or you covered one eye and realised the other side wasn’t quite as sharp. Either way, it’s natural to wonder what’s going on.
The good news is that most causes are easy to treat. A few, though, need attention straight away. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Why Blurry Eyesight Can Affect Just One Eye
Each eye focuses light on its own. So one eye can change, get irritated or develop a condition while the other stays perfectly clear.
Your brain is also great at covering for it. It simply leans on your stronger eye, which is why blurry eyesight on one side can go unnoticed for months.
Common Causes of Blurry Vision in One Eye
In most cases, the cause is common and very treatable.
Change in Your Prescription
It’s normal for each eye to have a slightly different prescription. If one eye has become more short-sighted, long-sighted or astigmatic, that side will start to look blurrier. An eye test and updated glasses or contacts usually sort it out.
Dry Eye and Eye Strain
We blink less when we stare at screens, and that dries out the surface of the eye. You might notice blur that comes and goes and clears when you blink. Air conditioning and contact lenses can make it worse.
Cataracts
Cataracts slowly cloud the lens inside your eye, and they often develop faster in one eye than the other. Along with blur, you may notice glare from headlights, halos around lights or colours that look a little washed out.
Contact Lens Problems
A lens that’s dirty, damaged, inside out or overdue for replacing can easily blur one eye. If there’s also pain, redness or sensitivity to light, take the lens out and get your eye checked, as it could be an infection.
Eye Infections and Inflammation
Conjunctivitis, keratitis and uveitis often start in one eye. Look out for redness, discharge, a gritty feeling or pain along with the blur.
Retinal Migraine
A retinal migraine can blur or dim the vision in one eye, usually for less than an hour. It can happen with or without a headache. Because it can look like something more serious, it’s worth getting checked.
When Blurry Vision in One Eye Is More Serious
Sometimes blurry vision in one eye points to a condition that needs urgent care to protect your sight. These include:
- Retinal detachment, which often starts with new floaters, flashes of light or a shadow across your vision.
- Acute angle-closure glaucoma, a sudden rise in eye pressure with severe eye pain, headache, nausea and halos around lights.
- Wet macular degeneration, which makes central vision look wavy or distorted.
- Retinal vein or artery occlusion, sometimes called an eye stroke, which causes painless blur or vision loss.
- Optic neuritis, an inflamed optic nerve that often hurts when you move your eye.
- Diabetic retinopathy, where damaged blood vessels in the retina leak fluid.
- Stroke, which can affect your vision as well as your speech, balance and strength.
When Sudden Blurry Vision Is an Emergency
Sudden blurry vision is very different from blur that creeps in over months. Head to your nearest emergency department if you notice:
- Vision loss that comes on suddenly, or a curtain falling across your sight.
- A shower of new floaters or flashes of light.
- Severe eye pain, headache, nausea or vomiting.
- Weakness, numbness, a drooping face, slurred speech or confusion.
- Blurred vision after a knock to the head or an eye injury.
If you have sudden blurry vision without any of these symptoms, see an optometrist the same day. The sooner it’s checked, the better your chances of protecting your sight.
What to Expect at Your Eye Test
Your optometrist will ask when the blur started, whether it comes and goes, and if you’ve noticed anything else. They’ll then check how well each eye sees and take a close look at the front and back of your eyes.
Tests like a digital retinal scan and a visual field test can pick up changes you can’t see or feel yourself. If you need specialist care, you’ll be referred to an ophthalmologist or your GP.
How to Keep Your Eyes Healthy
You can’t prevent every cause, but a few good habits go a long way:
- Try the 20-20-20 rule and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
- Wear sunglasses outdoors to protect your eyes from UV.
- Keep your contact lenses clean and replace them on time.
- Keep diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol in check.
- Have an eye test every two years, or every year once you turn 50.
Book an Eye Test at Spectacle Hub
Blurry vision in one eye is your body’s way of telling you something has changed. It might just be a new prescription, or it might need a closer look. Either way, it’s worth finding out.
At Spectacle Hub, our optometrists take the time to get to the bottom of your blurry eyesight, with thorough eye exams, digital retinal scans and visual field testing. Eye tests are bulk billed, and we accept all major health funds.
