The Effect of Hormones in Eyes and Vision

There is a chemical called hormone that controls the activities throughout our bodies. It is also known as the messenger of the body because they travel in your bloodstream to organs and tissues, saying what the body’s cells should do and when to do it. The body’s major functions that hormones coordinate and control are hunger, behavior, sleep, reproduction, and mood. One thing is for sure that everyone has experienced a hormonal change in their lives. The changes affect all parts of the body including our vision.

As children’s bodies grow, they change quickly during puberty when hormones are surging. Their arms and legs are growing longer, as well as their eyeballs. They can experience blurry vision from myopia or nearsightedness due to the lengthening of the eyeball. According to Stephen Linsky, a pediatric ophthalmologist, it is important for your child to have annual eye exams during and after puberty to ensure that your child has the best vision possible.

A hormone that plays a crucial role during the development of the eyes and body is the thyroid hormone. When the thyroid gland in the body does not produce the correct type and amount of hormones, thyroid eye disease develops. Thyroid eye disease can occur even if the thyroid gland functions normally. A condition called Graves’ disease occurs when an antibody attacks the thyroid gland which leads to over or underproduction of the hormone. Symptoms of the disease include bulging eyes as it attacks the tissues around the eye.

The Effect of Hormonal Changes on Women’s Vision

woman touching her eye

Women experience vision changes in their adult lives because of estrogen and progesterone hormones. The changing levels affect the oil gland of the eye which leads to dryness. The estrogen can make the cornea less stiff with more elasticity that affects how light travels into the eye. The change in refraction and dryness causes blurry vision to occur. It is also difficult for them to wear contact lenses.

According to Elena Jimenez, a comprehensive ophthalmologist, women are dealing with a lifetime of fluctuating vision because of the hormonal influence of birth control pills, pregnancy, and menopause. Lubricating eye drops are given to address the dryness associated with hormonal changes. Blurry vision due to hormonal changes resolves on its own.

What Are the Alarming Vision Changes Symptoms?

reddish eye

● Bulging of both or one eyes
● A veil of dark curtain that blocks vision
● Decreased vision
● Distorted vision
● Double vision
● Excessive tearing
● Halos or colored circles around lights
Loss of peripheral vision
● Floaters and/or flashes of light
● Pain in the eye
● Unusual red eye

Visit an ophthalmologist right away if you have any of these symptoms, or you feel that there is a sudden change in your vision.

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