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What Is Blurry Vision?

What Is Blurry Vision?
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Published on April 29, 2025
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Blurry vision, a condition in which you see objects out of focus, can have many causes, ranging from tired or irritated eyes to minor anatomical problems to serious health issues that may worsen or even lead to blindness if left untreated. The treatment and prognosis for blurry vision depend on the underlying cause.

Possible Causes of Blurry Vision

Causes of blurry vision can be directly related to eye health — including refractive and nonrefractive errors — or caused by other illness or injury-related causes. It can be one of the earliest symptoms of diabetes.

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors occur when the eye is misshapen, which causes light to be focused improperly. These include:

Nonrefractive Errors

Other Causes

The American Academy of Ophthalmology website features an extensive list of conditions that may be associated with blurry vision.

You should seek immediate medical attention if your vision suddenly gets blurry or if you suddenly lose vision — particularly if you’ve been injured or show other potential symptoms of a stroke, including:

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Difficulty moving

  • Dizziness
  • Weakness in one arm
  • Facial paralysis
  • Slurred speech
  • Loss of balance

Treatment and Medication Options for Blurry Vision

Treatment for blurry vision can take a wide variety of forms, depending on the underlying cause. Possible treatments include corrective eyewear, medication, and surgery.

Corrective Eyewear

Corrective eyewear includes eyeglasses and contact lenses, which can be used to treat blurriness caused by refractive errors and cataracts, among other causes.

Medication Options

There are many possible medications your doctor may prescribe. Over-the-counter eye drops may provide temporary relief.

For treating presbyopia, or age-related blurry vision, your doctor may prescribe pilocarpine hydrochloride (Vuity) eye drops, which are approved for this use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Surgery

Surgical procedures that may be used to treat conditions that cause blurry vision include:

  • Cataract surgery
  • LASIK

Prevention of Blurry Vision

Take care of your health by eating well and get lots of rest.

 Foods like dark leafy greens, fish, and other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamin A–rich foods like carrots and sweet potatoes, can also help you maintain eye health.

 Wear sunglasses when you’re outside, and get eye exams regularly.

If you wear contacts, be sure to always wash your hands before putting them in or taking them out to minimize the risk of infections. If your blurry vision is caused by an underlying health condition, you may be able to resolve it by following your doctor’s recommendations for managing your symptoms.

To prevent blurriness from eyestrain that results from looking at a screen too long, try following the 20-20-20 rule: at least every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. For blurry vision caused by eye dryness, try blinking a few times, using a warm compress, or using eye drops to lubricate your eyes.

The Takeaway

  • Blurry vision can have a variety of underlying causes.
  • You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience sudden blurry vision.
  • Treatment for blurry vision can include corrective eyewear, medication, or surgery.
  • There are a number of ways to prevent blurry vision, such as eating correctly and limiting the amount of time you look at screens.

Common Questions & Answers

How do I know if I have blurry vision?
Your vision is not sharp and objects look unfocused.
It’s not a direct cause, but a lack of sleep, or bodily fatigue, can contribute to blurry vision because it can be harder to focus your eyes when you are tired.
Yes, it can be. Both high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can contribute to blurry vision in different ways. Hyperglycemia can alter the shape of your eye’s lens, while hypoglycemia can affect your brain function.
Cloudy vision is like looking through a cloud, a fog, or a haze, but objects are not out of focus the way they are with blurry vision.
If your vision suddenly gets blurry, or if your blurry vision is accompanied by other symptoms like dizziness or difficulty speaking or moving, you should seek immediate medical help.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Blurred Vision. Cleveland Clinic. October 4, 2022.
  2. Blurred Vision. UCLA Health.
  3. Blurred vision. Healthdirect (Australian Government). November 2023.
  4. Turbert D. Blurriness. American Academy of Ophthalmology. January 25, 2021.
  5. Eyestrain. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
  6. Effects of Stroke. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
  7. How Can I Fix My Blurred Vision? Modern Focus. September 1, 2022.
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Edmund-Tsui-bio

Edmund Tsui, MD

Medical Reviewer

Edmund Tsui, MD, is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Jules Stein Eye Institute in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

He earned his medical degree from Dartmouth. He completed an ophthalmology residency at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he was chief resident, followed by a fellowship in uveitis and ocular inflammatory disease at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology at the University of California in San Francisco.

Dr. Tsui is committed to advancing the field of ophthalmology. His research focuses on utilizing state-of-the-art ophthalmic imaging technology to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of uveitis. He is a co-investigator in several multicenter clinical trials investigating therapeutics for uveitis. He is the author of over 80 peer-reviewed publications and has given talks at national and international conferences.

Along with his clinical and research responsibilities, Tsui teaches medical students and residents. He is on the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology's professional development and education committee, as well as the advocacy and outreach committee, which seeks to increase funding and awareness of vision research. He also serves on the editorial board of Ophthalmology and the executive committee of the American Uveitis Society.

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Ajai Raj

Author
Ajai Raj is a reporter specializing in medical science, health, and technology. His work has appeared in Popular Science, Scientific American Mind, The Scientist, and the New York Daily News, as well as a number of medical trade journals.
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