How to Cure Blurry Vision

Medically reviewed by Rajesh Khanna, MD

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References

Blurry vision is most often the result of an out-of-date glasses or contact prescription and isn't much to worry about. Visit your eye doctor regularly to keep your prescription up to date and monitor for any more serious conditions. At home, make sure you take breaks from screens, keep your work area well-lit, and take care of your contact lenses, if you have any. Go to a doctor right away if you notice any sudden changes to your vision.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Diagnosing the Cause of Blurry Vision

1
Make sure you are wearing the correct glasses prescription. Most often, blurry vision is the result of an incorrect glasses or contact prescription. If your last ophthalmologist appointment was a year or two ago, it might be time to go back and get an updated prescription.^{[1]
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American Optometric Association
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- If you keep glasses with old prescriptions around, make sure you aren't wearing those.
2
See a doctor to check for an eye infection if you have symptoms. Pink eye is one of the most common eye infections that can cause blurry vision, but other infections can cause similar symptoms. You may notice redness, itchiness, a gritty feeling, or discharge if you have an infection. If you notice any of these symptoms along with blurry vision, see your doctor as soon as possible. Since conjunctivitis is viral, the only treatment for this condition is good eye hygiene and using eye drops.^{[2]
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Mayo Clinic
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- If you wear contact lenses, stop as soon as you notice the symptoms of an eye infection. Eye infections are more common in contact lens wearers.
- It’s also important to prevent the spread, such as by washing your hands frequently and not sharing any tools or products that you use on your eyes, such as washcloths or eye makeup.
- Dry eye can also contribute to blurry vision.^{[3]
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  Rajesh Khanna, MD
  Board Certified Ophthalmologist
  Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.}
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3
Visit an eye doctor yearly to check for more serious eye problems. Blurry vision can occasionally be a symptom of serious conditions like cataracts, corneal ulcers, or glaucoma. Visiting your eye doctor regularly can help you monitor your health and catch serious conditions early.^{[4]
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American Academy of Opthamologists
Professional medical organization focused on advocating for public health and supporting sight-related research
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- Tell your doctor about all of the symptoms you are experiencing.
4
See your doctor to find and treat any underlying conditions. Sometimes, blurry vision is caused by a condition such as high blood sugar that can be managed with lifestyle changes, such as exercising more or changing your diet. Other times, you may need medication to treat a serious condition like diabetes or high blood pressure. They may also want to check your fasting blood sugar level or A1C.^{[5]
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American Academy of Opthamologists
Professional medical organization focused on advocating for public health and supporting sight-related research
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- Sometimes a condition needs to be treated with a combination of lifestyle changes and medication. Work with your doctor to come up with a treatment plan.
- You might notice blurry vision if you have a fever, or you get fatigued or dehydrated.^{[6]
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  Expert Source
  
  Rajesh Khanna, MD
  Board Certified Ophthalmologist
  Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.}
5
Go to a doctor right away if you experience blurry vision after an injury. If you have a black eye or another injury that causes blurry vision, see a doctor as soon as you can. This can sometimes be a sign of a serious injury.^{[7]
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American Academy of Opthamologists
Professional medical organization focused on advocating for public health and supporting sight-related research
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- See your doctor as soon as you can after your injury, especially if you experience fluctuating vision, floaters, loss of side vision, or double vision in addition to blurriness.
6
Get medical attention immediately if you have blurry vision in one eye. If you have blurry vision in only one eye that comes on suddenly, this could be a sign of diabetes, a stroke, migraine, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, a brain tumor, or Parkinson's disease. It's safest to see a doctor as soon as you notice blurriness in one eye to catch any potentially serious conditions.^{[8]
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Research source}
7
See your doctor for a follow-up if your blurry vision persists. Usually, blurry vision simply means you need an updated glasses or contact prescription, or you may need to start wearing reading glasses. However, if you've updated your prescription and followed your doctor's advice and you are still experiencing blurry vision, make a follow-up appointment as soon as you can.^{[9]
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American Academy of Opthamologists
Professional medical organization focused on advocating for public health and supporting sight-related research
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- Blurry vision usually isn't a sign of anything serious, but it can be uncomfortable. It's best to see a doctor sooner rather than later if your vision is persistently blurry.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Treating Blurry Vision at Home

1
Wear reading glasses if you have trouble seeing things up close. If you notice that you experience blurry vision when you are reading or looking at screens up close, you might need reading glasses. ^{[10]
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American Optometric Association
Professional medical organization dedicated to supporting optometrists and improving public eye and vision health
Go to source}
- Most adults will discover they need reading glasses between ages 40 and 60.
- Alternatively, you may need to consider bifocals.
2
Make sure your work space is well-lit. If you have trouble with blurry vision when reading or working on the computer, adding more light can help. Add a desk or floor lamp to your work area to reduce strain on your eyes.^{[11]
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American Optometric Association
Professional medical organization dedicated to supporting optometrists and improving public eye and vision health
Go to source}
- Adding lighting can help, but you may also need to wear reading glasses or bifocals to completely get rid of blurry vision.
3
Use artificial tears to lubricate your eyes if they are dry. Dry eyes can sometimes cause blurry vision. Use over-the-counter eyedrops, following the directions that come with them to use them correctly.^{[12]
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Mayo Clinic
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- See a doctor if your dry eyes become painful or if your symptoms persist even after using eyedrops.
- With most eye drops, avoid using them more than 4 times a day.
4
Give your eyes a break from reading and screens. Use the 20-20-20 rule throughout the day, particularly if you work at a computer. Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet (6.1 m) away for 20 seconds. This takes the strain off of your eyes.^{[13]
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Mayo Clinic
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- Taking strain off of your eyes helps prevent blurriness from fatigue.
5
Take contact lenses out before you go to sleep and clean them properly. Sleeping with your contacts in can trap bacteria between the lenses and your eye and cause an infection and blurry vision. Clean your lenses with contact solution and store them in a case after taking them out.^{[14]
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Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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- Never wear contacts for longer than they were made to be worn. For example, if your contacts are made for weekly wear, throw them out after wearing them for 7 days.
- Alternatively, consider daily contact lenses, which you discard after 1 wear. Make sure to take them out before going to sleep.
6
Manage your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. Diabetes leads to fluctuations in your blood sugar, which can actually affect your vision.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Rajesh Khanna, MD
Board Certified Ophthalmologist
Expert Interview. 11 November 2020.} To manage your diabetes, track what you eat, your blood sugar levels, and any symptoms you notice. Avoid saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt and look for foods that are lower in calories. Drink water rather than soda or juice, and avoid alcohol. Work with your doctor or a nutritionist to come up with a plant that works for you.^{[16]
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- Try having a piece of fruit for a sweet treat instead of candy or pastry.
7
Stay away from migraine triggers, if you get frequent migraines. You may notice that blurry vision comes hand in hand with migraines. If you notice this pattern, pay attention to any triggers that seem to cause migraines, such as dehydration, low blood sugar, specific foods, bright light, or loud noises.^{[17]
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Trustworthy Source
Mayo Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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- If you have chronic migraines, you may need to work with a doctor on a treatment plan including medication.
- See a neurologist for a workup if you often experience headaches, double vision, or ringing in your ears. These could be signs of pseudotumor cerebra or increased intracranial pressure.

Expert Q&A
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Question

What are some of the main causes of blurry eyes?

Rajesh Khanna, MD
Board Certified Ophthalmologist
Dr. Rajesh Khanna is a board certified Ophthalmologist and the Founder of Khanna Vision Institute in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Khanna specializes in Lasik, cataract, and refractive eye surgery as well as treatments for presbyopia and keratoconus. Dr. Khanna completed his first Ophthalmology Residency in Mumbai and his second Ophthalmology Residency at SUNY Downstate in New York City. He went on to complete a fellowship training in corneal and refractive surgery from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio and a Neurophthalmology fellowship from Kingsbrook Jewish Hospital in New York City. Dr. Khanna is also a voluntary member of the UCLA faculty and is an Internationally recognized top Lasik, presbyopic implants in the eye (PIE), and Refractive vision care specialist. He is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a certified Master of Surgery by the University of Bombay.

Rajesh Khanna, MD

Board Certified Ophthalmologist

Expert Answer

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Dryness of the eye and allergies can cause blurry vision, as can things like fever, fatigue, and being dehydrated. If you swim without goggles and open your eyes in a pool or the ocean, that can also lead to blurry vision. Conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and pregnancy can affect the vision as well. Sometimes, even your eye movements during sleep can cause scratchiness or dryness on your cornea, which might lead to blurry vision.