Cloudy view

The blurred or fogged sight is a rather common symptom, the result of several possible causes of origin. The term summarizes the perception of a poor clarity to the vision of objects, with an inability to perceive the small details; in medical terms, blurred vision reflects loss of visual acuity.

Acutely, blurred vision can be the consequence of a sudden drop in pressure, and in this sense it tends to resolve spontaneously within a few seconds. For example, a subject may perceive a feeling of fainting with blurred vision when he rises abruptly from the lying position. The same phenomenon can also happen in the gym, after a series of rather intense strengthening with weights; sudden changes in blood pressure, reduced blood supply to the brain and possible hypoglycemia are among the most commonly referred to factors.

The reduced blood flow to more or less extensive areas of the brain, recorded in correspondence with stroke or transient cerebral ischemic attacks, is responsible for the blurred vision felt in these situations, together with other characteristic symptoms (inability to speak correctly, decrease of strength, sensitivity and physical abilities in one half of the body, vertigo, loss of balance, loss of vision in one half of the visual field).

Even during a migraine attack it is quite common to perceive a distortion in the view, with vision of luminous flashes, flashes or geometric shapes that widen and spread.

A common cause of blurred vision in late adult and old age is glaucoma, a disease often sustained by an increase in pressure inside the eye. Unfortunately it is a late symptom, since it is very important to treat this disease early, favored, by ocular hypertension, by familiarity with the disease, by myopia and by the inevitable genetic predisposition.

The same goes for diseases of different origins, such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract and the infectious, inflammatory or traumatic processes that affect the eye.

The use of atropine or other anticholinergics is often associated with blurred vision. This symptom can also represent the undesired effect of many other drugs, so if you are visually blurred, you should check the package insert attached to any medications you take. Brain tumors and multiple sclerosis are other possible pathological causes of blurred vision.