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by  Dr. Robert Scharfman  26 Comments

Temporary Blindness in One Eye (Amaurosis Fugax)

Amaurosis Fugax is a strange sounding name for a temporary loss of vision in one eye. The vision loss is sudden and usually recovers over a period of minutes. It is painless and not associated with any other symptoms.

Causes of Temporary Blindness in One Eye

Temporary blindness occurs because the blood supply to the eye is reduced or temporarily blocked. It is a transient ischemic attack of the eye, or TIA.

Common risk factors include:

  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol

Temporary Blindness Linked to Silent Strokes

Recent studies have shown that 25% of people who experience Amaurosis Fugax have also had a silent stroke.

Even more alarming is that about 15% of people who experience a TIA will go on to have a stroke affecting the brain within the next three months, having the potential to cause paralysis or death. Fortunately with treatment, many of these strokes can be avoided.

Sudden Blindness is an Emergency!

The most important thing to remember is that sudden blindness is always an eye emergency! Therefore, make an appointment with your eye doctor if you ever experience Amaurosis Fugax.

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Filed Under: Serious Eye Problems

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Braden Bills says

    July 27, 2020 at 11:18 am

    I’ve been having a hard time seeing out of one of my eyes, and I’m not sure what to do about it. It makes sense that there are a few things that could be causing this! I should definitely talk to a professional to see if they can help me out with it.

    Reply
  2. Tyler Johnson says

    August 6, 2020 at 1:06 pm

    I agree that having one eye go blind for a while would be an emergency. I could see how that would be a sign of a much bigger issue, as well as give you problems with your vision. I should make sure I see an eye doctor right away if I ever have a problem seeing out of one of my eyes.

    Reply
  3. Steve M says

    September 2, 2020 at 5:54 pm

    I experienced this very thing today. At work just prior to leaving, I had a gradual loss of vision in one eye. It was the scariest feeling, knowing that I am truly not able to see and wondering what was coming next. In about 5 minutes my sight started to return. I went to the ER where I was cleared to go home after several tests and I am going to follow up with a neurologist. I was told to take 81 milligrams of aspirin until I meet with the doc.

    Reply
    • GGF says

      February 15, 2021 at 10:45 pm

      Any updates?

      Reply
    • Jennifer says

      March 28, 2021 at 2:53 pm

      Any updates .. I had this happen to
      Me the other day

      Reply
  4. Christine says

    April 8, 2022 at 5:32 pm

    I had this happen to me too. I had sudden vision loss in my left eye with bright lights first then it went black except for the top half of my line of sight. It only lasted a few seconds but it was very scary. I had a complete eye exam the next day and they said my eyes are fine. I have to go for a carotid artery test on Monday.
    I’m really scared 😨
    Anyone else experienced this issue and what was your resolution.

    Reply
    • Karmen says

      April 14, 2022 at 1:19 pm

      It happened to me 5 years ago. Do not panic. I was told its unknown why happens. But I did some research on my own and I found out they could be silent stroke mini stroke.comes back in less than 5 minutes there’s nothing to worry about. Otherwise it’s dangerous. Also stop drinking anything including coffee that constrict the blood supply to the eye

      Reply
    • Bonnie says

      June 23, 2022 at 1:08 pm

      Happened to me also. I lost sight in my left eye. I could see out of the upper half. Cleared up within 15 minutes. Had an MRI done and it showed nothing. But… I had Covid three weeks before, for some reason I keep thinking this was a side effect.

      Reply
      • Sera E. says

        August 13, 2022 at 9:04 pm

        This started happening to me after I had COVID too. I slowly start to lose vision in my left eye, then it’s full on blindness, then it slowly returns. Lasts about 3 min. I got retina and optic nerve scans, Carotid ultrasound and a CT angio of my head and neck, all came back clean. No one can figure it out! 🙁

        Reply
        • Mary says

          September 9, 2022 at 8:14 am

          I have had the same, but it started before I had COVID. It has happened numerous times over the past few years. Many ER visits, carotid scans, CT’s, eye exams, brain angiogram. Everything was clear. The last doctor told me that it could be a blood vessel that gets kinked when I turn my head to the left. They really have no idea what is causing it, but after all tests, I am told that stroke risk is low (no high blood pressure). I would love to have an answer.

          Reply
  5. David says

    September 12, 2022 at 10:58 pm

    I was driving during the day time. I have blue eyes. So therefore light sensitivity is very much a thing. But I was driving and then next thing I know it’s like a curtain was lowering over my left eye it wasn’t completely darkness though. It was like having my eye open but holding a paper towel over it light was still visible but nothing else. Basically a bright blur. Then within 3 minutes my sight was completely back to normal anyone else had this problem?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      September 24, 2022 at 1:05 am

      You described exactly how I experience it except it usually happens to me at night. Or possibly I only notice it then? It’s very dramatic because I can be facing a window with outside lighting and my right eye (with the left eye closed) sees the lit up window just fine but my left eye (with the right eye closed) doesn’t see the window at all. If both eyes are open, it’s exactly the way you described it, the window isn’t completely gone but it’s it isn’t bright like it should be. It’s like I’m looking through a veil. It scares me because I know what I should be seeing!!

      I’m 65 years old and this started happening in my teens. There’s no obvious rhyme or reason for when it occurs and it can be several years between episodes or it can happen several nights in a row for a while. No one has ever given me an answer yet – actually no one seems to know what I’m talking about, eye doctors including. When I do talk about it to a doctor their face doesn’t register that they have any idea what I’m talking about and that I may as well be describing my purple striped green cat. After looking at me blankly for a moment they just move on as though I hadn’t said a word!

      Did anyone else notice that in each case mentioned it was the LEFT eye?

      Reply
      • Liz says

        October 15, 2022 at 2:26 am

        The same just happened to me – also with my left eye. I was watching TV at night and suddenly it was blurry. When I closed my right eye half the TV screen disappeared entirely (total blackness). My eye doctor did 2 field tests and immediately sent me to the ER for scans which thankfully were all negative. Follow up next week- scary stuff!

        Reply
      • George Berman says

        October 25, 2022 at 8:46 am

        Yes left eye and same attitude with Doctors.

        Reply
  6. Ronnie says

    November 4, 2022 at 3:42 pm

    Happened to me last night driving but it was my right eye. Top half could see some light but lower half was black. Lasted about 3 minutes then fine, I had never heard of this before, I’m glad I found this site.

    Reply
  7. Darrick says

    November 16, 2022 at 9:37 pm

    I just had this happen to me last night about 3 or 4 in the morning after suddenly waking up. It scared me but it only lasted for about 30 seconds. I’m going to see my doctor tomorrow and will take aspirin tonight.

    Reply
  8. Mary G says

    November 27, 2022 at 9:43 pm

    I’ve had this happen to me four times now since July, post Covid and left eye. One time it was both. It was raining all four times.

    Reply
  9. Larry says

    November 30, 2022 at 12:07 pm

    I had same vision loss in left eye that lasted several minutes. This also happened 20 days post co-vid booster shot. In 2021 I lost most of my hearing in left ear for several months. This occurred 3 weeks after co-vid shot. Doctor said vision loss was a TIS.

    Reply
  10. Rich says

    December 10, 2022 at 6:51 pm

    I have also had temporary blindness in my right eye. It always happens in an airplane. the first few times my eye went blurry. i thought that my eye was tired from looking at the computer for too many hours. then on one flight my right eye went totally blind. It fist started as a blurriness that started at the bottom of my eye and then went up to total blindness. I think 5-10 minutes and then the vision returned. i went to many Doctors and had many test including brain mri, full testing for cholesterol blockage, eye tests and nothing at all was wrong according to the tests. I started taking a few blood thinners and the problem went away for 5 years. Just recently on a flight a week after i had covid it happened again. Now more test still every test comes back OK. However I now have more light sensitivity and my right eyelid and eyebrow move up on their own when my eye feels “off”

    Reply
  11. Adam Sprague says

    December 10, 2022 at 9:09 pm

    My left eye will go completely blind for a few seconds to a few minutes. The blackness will slowly fade away until it’s back to normal. I have had photophobia since I was 18. I now also have night blindness. Super scary driving at night. I also have reoccurring double vision.

    Reply
  12. Dave H. says

    December 12, 2022 at 3:04 pm

    Seventy minutes ago I lost all vision in my left eye, which lasted 5 minutes. A few years ago it happened, but only one half, and my opthamologist insisted I go directly to the Emergency Room. I’m now in the Emergency Room after triage, but before being seen by a doctor. I’ll send a follow up after analysis.

    Reply
  13. Vijay says

    December 29, 2022 at 11:59 pm

    My son 6 years old has temporary right eye vision blackout , last from few seconds to a minute
    I have visited 3 ophthalmologist in last 6 to 8 months, he got + power and wearing glasses since April, all 3 doctors did various eye exams and said no problem with eye, they say just has + power other than that they say no issues with eye
    Have visited neurologist, did MRI and EEG, both MRI and EEG results were normal
    Going to visit paediatrician next week for suggestions

    Reply
  14. William says

    March 24, 2023 at 10:13 am

    I Am 76 with ALS for 20 yr’s (since 2002) ….. I know a “Miracle” to still be living!
    I Just lost 90% of right eye vision, for 30 mins! Thank you Lord, for restoring my sight after prayer!!
    It was like fuzzy colors, appearing thru a shattered Car Window, with the many small pieces of glass intact in the window! Scary, to be sitting on my back deck enjoying the woods, the sky, and sunset, when suddenly out-of-nowhere this happens !
    It’s bad to have difficulty walking, and not being able for people to understand my speech. But LOOSING just half your eye sight for 30 minutes, makes me realize how truly BLESSED I am to have eye sight, hearing, and to live pain free! Thank you Jesus!

    Reply
  15. T. Thompson says

    March 27, 2023 at 2:02 am

    I had just woken up in abdark room with my eyes closed. A sudden intense flash of white light lite up my right eye and when i opened both eyes my right eye seemed to be night blind for a minute. Any ideas as to the cause??

    Reply
  16. Iain says

    April 21, 2023 at 6:50 pm

    After watching tv and some purple lights I lost the upper half of my vision in my right eye for a minute or two.

    I have a Chalazion at the moment not sure if it is connected

    Reply
  17. T. Gardner says

    May 17, 2023 at 11:14 pm

    I too suffer from this partial vision loss. I’m 66 and it has been going on for years. Suddenly I’ll notice vision blacked out in the upper half of my left eye, but it always goes away in less than 5 minutes or so. I just try to relax, stay calm, close both eyes and wait.
    It happens sporadically. Sometimes multiple in one day all the way to only every month or two. It is strange though that it just happened for the first time in my right eye. A few years ago I went thru all the testing, multiple MRI’s, etc., etc., but even after over $5,000 of out of pocket cost’s, nothing was found by several top experts. They admitted freely that the medical community has no clue that causes the issue. It shows just how far medicine has to go but will never get there since neither the medical community nor the drug companies have any interest. It’s all about the money so don’t hold your breath. Unfortunately it seems this issue will remain stagnant for decades to come. The really sad part of this is that the doctors are quick to launch you into a million tests without regard to costs even though they all know there is nothing to be done.

    Reply

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