How COVID-19 May Have Affected Your Vision
Although you hear about the loss of taste and smell from COVID-19, these are not the only unfortunate effects of the virus. Vision issues are also very common among those who have had COVID-19. Because the virus makes it difficult for important organs to receive the oxygen they need, the connection between the brain and eyes can be strained. Pink Eye is one of the most common signs of visual effects from COVID-19 in children and adults. The good news is, usually these complications are not too severe, although they should still be treated before they get worse. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, vision impairment caused by COVID-19 is most likely for those with the following 3 health complications:
- High blood pressure
- Blood disorders
- Diabetes
How Do You Know if COVID-19 has Affected Your vision?
Wondering if COVID-19 has affected your vision? The following are the 7 most common lingering vision symptoms of COVID-19:
- Headaches
- Sensitivity to light
- Reading and memory challenges
- “Brain fog”
- Fatigue
- Blurry vision
- Poor depth perception
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it may be time for you to take steps to help yourself see normal again. Recovering from COVID-19 is often almost identical to recovering from a traumatic brain injury. The nerves between your brain and eyes need professional help and time to heal. The symptoms above can last anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months, depending on how fast you see an eye doctor and start your path to recovery.
Similarities Between Lyme Disease and COVID-19 Lingering Symptoms
Lyme Disease is a tick-borne illness caused by a bacterium called Borrelia Burgdorferi. Oddly enough, the symptoms that people experience from Lyme Disease are almost identical to those people experience from COVID-19, especially when it comes to vision. Lyme Disease and COVID-19 both cause inflammation throughout the body, affecting the optic nerves and causing blurry vision and other eye problems. According to the National Library of Medicine, during the surge of COVID-19 cases there was a – possibly artificial – decrease in Lyme disease diagnostics despite Americans spending more time outside in 2020 than in 2019. Lyme Disease can easily be mistaken for COVID-19, so keep an eye out for flu-like symptoms, especially after being outdoors! Because the lingering symptoms are so similar between Lyme Disease and COVID-19, treating these symptoms is also very similar.
How Vision Therapy Can Help
Whether or not you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, or blood disorders, it is highly recommended that you take steps to cure your vision if an impairment is experienced after being infected by COVID-19. Vision Therapy is one of the best-proven ways to treat COVID-19 lingering vision symptoms. It can reduce symptoms significantly and many times cure them together. During vision therapy treatment, a vision therapist will take you through a variety of vision exercises that strengthen the neural pathways that connect your eyes and brain. Vision therapy is customizable to your unique case and can improve your quality of life by helping you to see normal again.
