Why do I get double vision after a few drinks?

The most common effect is double vision, or blurry vision, brought on by heavy drinking. This occurs as a result of weakened eye muscle coordination as alcohol is a depressant, slowing your reaction times and impairing coordination.

What does it mean if I’m seeing double?

Nerve or muscle damage in the eye might cause double vision. Each eye creates its own image of the environment. The brain combines the representations from each eye and perceives them as one clear picture. Damage to the muscles that move the eyes or the nerves that control eye movement can create a double image.

Is sudden double vision serious?

Double vision isn’t something to ignore. While typically temporary, it may signal a serious problem, such as a brain aneurysm or stroke. “Some people get fleeting double vision that goes away,” says neuro-ophthalmologist Lisa Lystad, MD.

Can drinking alcohol cause double vision?

Alcohol slows down the communication between the eyes and the brain. This can cause double vision, decrease reaction time of pupils and impair the ability to see color shades.

Can alcohol mess up your vision?

Alcohol and Eyesight Loss Blindness caused by alcohol isn’t common, but it’s possible. Unhealthy amounts of alcohol consumption can lead to a decrease in peripheral vision, weakened eye muscles, a thinning of the cornea, and loss of color vision—all things that can lead to permanent vision loss.

Does alcohol cause double vision?

Can alcohol double vision?

How does drinking affect your vision?

As far as the eyes are concerned, alcohol weakens the muscles of your eye; it can damage the optic nerves permanently, preventing the interaction of the brain and eyes. Double and distorted vision can occur from information that is slowed down between the eye and the brain.

What is alcoholic optic neuritis?

Alcohol and tobacco abuse-related optic neuropathy is characterized by papillomacular bundle damage, central or centrocecal scotoma, and reduced color vision.

What does it mean when you see double in one eye?

A cataract (clouding of the eye’s lens) can decrease your vision and cause you to see double. Surgery to remove the cataract can help to fix the problem. If astigmatism is the culprit, wearing special contact lenses or glasses should help, Dr. Lystad says.

Is double vision something to worry about?

Double vision isn’t something to ignore. While typically temporary, it may signal a serious problem, such as a brain aneurysm or stroke. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services.

What are the causes of binocular double vision?

Neurologic causes: In some cases, binocular double vision can have a serious neurologic cause. Monocular double vision is less common. This means that only one eye is involved. If that eye is closed or covered but not your other one, your double vision goes away until the eye is opened or uncovered again.

What causes double vision in the morning?

Diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and multiple sclerosis can damage the nerves that stimulate the eye muscles, leading to double vision. Your doctor will focus on treating or better controlling the underlying disease.