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by  Dr. Robert Scharfman  1 Comment

Alcohol and Eye Health: Can Drinking Too Much Hurt Your Eyes?

Most people enjoy a drink every now and then. And in moderation, drinking alcoholic beverages is generally safe for your eyes. However, drinking too much alcohol has both short term and long term consequences on your eye health.

Short Term Consequences of Alcohol on Eye Health

Acute effects of alcohol consumption include dry, red, and itchy eyes due to dehydration. Becoming inebriated can also cause:

  • blurry vision
  • difficulty focusing
  • double vision
  • tunnel vision (decreased peripheral vision)

While these short term consequences will resolve on their own once as the alcohol leaves your system, the long term effects of alcohol abuse are far more concerning.

Long Term Consequences of Alcohol on Eye Health

Chronic alcohol use increases the risk of cataract formation. Malnutrition is common in those who drink an excess of alcohol. It robs the eyes of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, which is important to maintaining night vision.

Excessive alcohol intake is especially damaging to the eyes because it results in nutritional degeneration of the nervous system. Optic nerve degeneration or optic neuropathy can lead to:

  • vision loss
  • blind spots
  • reduced color vision

Over time, the immune system becomes compromised. This makes alcohol abusers vulnerable to eye infections, resulting in damage to the retina or cornea.

If You Have a Drinking Problem, Get Help

If you suspect you may have a problem with alcohol abuse, don’t wait — get help. Not only will your eyes benefit, but many other aspects of your health will benefit as well.

Click the link below to learn more about your treatment options:

Treatment for Alcohol Problems: Finding and Getting Help »

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Filed Under: General Eye Care

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Franklin White says

    June 1, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    I had no idea that you can become malnutritioned because of alcohol and that it can cause your eyes to lose vitamin A. I don’t drink but my brother does a lot. I’ll tell him how it can affect his eyesight and that he really needs to not drink anymore or it’ll cause him a lot of health problems.

    Reply

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