The effect of alcohol on vision
Ophthalmologists concluded that alcohol-containing drinks negatively affect the functioning of the optical system. When ethyl alcohol enters the body, disruption of the central nervous system begins almost immediately.
With the short-term influence of alcohol, a slowdown in the interaction of neurotransmitters is observed. Receiving information from the outside becomes difficult, and the relationship between the body and brain is disrupted.
With the short-term influence of alcoholic beverages, the coordination of the eye muscles is disrupted, which leads to various disturbances in visual perception. The pupils cannot dilate and contract correctly, and the ability to distinguish certain colors decreases.
A study was conducted in Canada. Scientists have found that ethyl alcohol reduces the ability to distinguish between light and dark by 30%.
The short-term effect is reflected by cephalalgia, inflammation and hyperemia. A nervous tic called myokymia is possible.
Long-term exposure to toxic substances leads to more serious conditions. With regular consumption of drinks with ethyl alcohol, it is possible to develop certain eye diseases. These phenomena do not go away after stopping alcohol abuse. To get rid of them, it is necessary to carry out complex treatment.
Normal and dangerous hangover symptoms
From this article you will learn which symptoms of a hangover after a one-time drinking session are normal and which are not. Please note that after a long binge, the symptoms may be different and you need to escape from them in a different way; read about this in a separate article “How to restore the body after binge drinking.”
A hangover syndrome should not be confused with withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal syndrome can also occur after a one-time drinking session, but only in a person with an already developed addiction - in an alcoholic who has not received the next desired dose of alcohol. Read our special article to help you identify the symptoms of incipient addiction in time.
Swelling is a classic symptom of a hangover.
Our poor health during a hangover is explained by poisoning with toxic substances into which the alcohol we drank has broken down. Alcohol also causes improper redistribution of fluid in the body (dry mouth and swelling in tissues), metabolic and acid-base balance disorders, sleep disturbances and nervous system functioning. So when you feel bad when you have a hangover, that’s normal.
However, if you notice any unusual symptoms during a hangover, if the usual symptoms have sharply intensified and cause serious concern, do not be a hero, call a doctor. The fact is that drinking alcohol can provoke a number of life-threatening diseases that require emergency medical attention: pancreatitis, heart failure, bronchospastic syndrome and many others. In this case, the first symptoms may resemble a normal hangover, differing only in small characteristic features. To be able to recognize a dangerous condition in time and have time to save your life, read the article “When to call an ambulance if you have a hangover.”
Double vision after drinking alcohol
This condition is called alcoholic diplopia. Due to the toxicity of alcoholic drinks, inhibition begins in the oculomotor center of the brain. Muscle fibers contract poorly and work is disrupted. This is why you see double after drinking alcohol.
Both eyes function but cannot converge on the correct target object. Diplopia can be vertical and horizontal at the same time, or objects can be rotated relative to each other.
Alcoholic diplopia is manifested by dizziness, problems with orientation in space, and difficulties in assessing the location of objects. If the toxic effect has affected the oblique muscles of the visual analyzer, diplopia develops in the form of an arrangement of objects one above the other.
Alcoholic diplopia does not require treatment. After heavy drinking and the release of toxic components from the blood, vision is restored. Diplopia can recur with subsequent consumption of ethyl alcohol in small or large quantities; the amount of alcoholic drinks is different for each person.
Why does my face swell after drinking alcohol?
The swelling appears due to the edema that accompanies a hangover. This is due to improper distribution of fluid in the body. Alcohol molecules penetrate tissues, taking water molecules with them. For this reason, there is a lack of fluid in the circulating blood, which manifests itself in the form of thirst - “dryness”. And the accumulation of water in the tissues leads to the formation of edema.
For this reason, the face swells after alcohol, as well as:
- harmful breakdown products of alcohol are retained in the body;
- headache caused by swelling appears;
- the appearance and condition of the skin worsens.
Puffiness should be removed competently, not limited to drinking plenty of fluids, but also at the same time removing fluid from the tissues. To restore its proper distribution, it is recommended to take diuretics, for example, veroshpiron. Natural remedies include: watermelon, green tea, and non-alcoholic beer.
Mineral water such as “Borjomi” or “Essentuki” (that is, hydrocarbonate) helps quickly and effectively. The folk tradition of treating a hangover with brine is not without meaning. However, it should be taken before drinking water or other drinks and not more than one glass. Brine helps replenish the deficiency of electrolyte salts and make other remedies and drugs used after it more effective.
Redness of the eyes after alcohol
Hyperemia of the sclera is the most common symptom of a hangover. When you abuse alcohol, intracranial pressure increases, the vessels cannot withstand it and burst. This is manifested by small hemorrhages in the eyes and their redness.
Frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to disruption of blood microcirculation in the visual analyzer. Patients experience constant hemorrhages.
Hemorrhages are an accumulation of blood flowing from small capillaries and vessels in the eye. Hemorrhage can be pinpoint or flat.
Vascular rupture is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- cramps;
- itching.
Hemorrhage during alcohol intoxication does not cause pain, changes in visual perception and is not accompanied by discharge from the eyes.
Hemorrhages go away after a few days. This condition usually does not require treatment.
If you regularly drink large amounts of alcohol, flushing will become a chronic symptom. Against this background, visual perception will deteriorate.
What makes a hangover make your eyes look like a vampire's?
Why do my eyes literally become bloodshot after drinking alcohol? The fact is that alcohol increases pressure in blood vessels and leads to their expansion. However, after a few hours, the euphoria from drinking strong drinks wears off, and the circulatory system reacts to this by narrowing the lumen of the veins. This is a very dangerous phenomenon for alcohol lovers - from this moment on, the risk of heart attack and stroke increases significantly.
For the same reason, the eyes turn red - the capillaries around the eyeball are simply overflowing with blood due to slow blood flow in the veins. Because of this, small vessels swell and turn red. Such processes during hangover syndrome occur throughout the body, but against the background of the white body of the sclera of the eye, enlarged red capillaries are best visible.
Capillaries are congested with blood due to slow blood flow in the veins
However, dilation and overflow of blood vessels is only half the story. Young people usually experience this condition without negative consequences. And for those over 40 or 50 years old, it is better to drink alcohol with caution. The fact is that by this age the human circulatory system partially loses its former elasticity. Small vessels can burst and form small areas of hemorrhage.
If this happens to one of the capillaries of the eye, then it will not be possible to quickly eliminate the consequences. You will have to walk around with red eyes for at least several days, inventing the causes of the disease for colleagues and acquaintances.
By the way, the word “illness” is not an exaggeration - red eyes after alcohol are a serious reason to think about your health and change your lifestyle.
Narrowing of visual field after alcohol
The peripheral field of vision narrows by 2–3 times with systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages. Side objects almost completely disappear from a person’s view.
When the body is severely poisoned by toxic substances, tunnel vision occurs. This is when a person sees as if through a spyglass. Therefore, the risk of a traffic accident increases many times when the driver is intoxicated.
The next morning, when the hangover sets in and some of the alcohol wears off, the functioning of the visual analyzer will be restored. However, with further abuse, the tissues of the optic nerve are gradually damaged and atrophy. Narrowing of peripheral vision is one of the symptoms of atrophy.
Why does the face turn red and what to do?
Redness can vary in nature. If they occur after drinking in the morning and go away easily on their own and are not accompanied by other symptoms, there is no reason to worry. However, a person should take this seriously and consult a doctor when the redness does not go away for a long time and other unpleasant consequences of excessive drinking occur. Possible reasons include:
- allergy to alcohol;
- intestinal dysbiosis;
- problems with the endocrine system and others.
In such cases, you should visit an endocrinologist, therapist, or neurologist to accurately determine the problem that the body is signaling. This also applies to those cases where the spots on the face after drinking alcohol have acquired a brown or dark tint. Such changes in skin color indicate the need to check the condition of the liver.
Changes in the color of the tongue, or rather the coating on it, should also seriously alert you. If it acquires a dark, bluish tint, becomes darker or yellower, this is an alarming symptom. The tongue reflects the state of the gastrointestinal tract and these changes indicate that the body is exposed to intestinal intoxication (along with alcohol).
Exacerbation of ophthalmic diseases after alcohol
Bad habits don't lead to anything good. Even minor alcohol abuse affects the health of the visual analyzer. Exposure to alcoholic beverages leads to numerous pathologies and exacerbation of ophthalmological diseases.
Pathological conditions that worsen when taking ethyl alcohol:
- Cataract. This disease is most often found in people who abuse alcohol. Cataracts are accompanied by blurred visual perception, increased sensitivity to light, diplopia, and changes in color vision. The disease can only be treated surgically. Using a special needle, the ophthalmologist removes the contents of the lens and implants an artificial one. Cataract treatment will not help if the patient continues to drink excessively.
- Ametropia. The pathological condition implies severe refractive errors in the eyeball. Light rays are focused behind or in front of the retina. The main symptom of ametropia is blurriness of the object; other signs include nausea and motion sickness in transport, fatigue, cephalalgia, double objects.
- Astigmatism. The disease is characterized by abnormalities in the shape of the lens, cornea, or eye, resulting in poor visual perception. Astigmatism is treated with SCL or glasses, laser therapy, refractive lens replacement.
- Cloudiness of the cornea. Develops as a result of smoking and alcohol abuse and is the cause of keratitis. It appears as spots, a cataract and in the form of a cloud. Corneal clouding is treated with anti-inflammatory medications and corticosteroids in the form of drops.
- Retinal detachment. This disease is considered the most severe. It can lead to a complete loss of the ability to perceive the world around us through the eyes. Detachment occurs as a result of accidents and injuries that a person receives while intoxicated. Main methods of treatment: laser coagulation, surgical method.
Consequences of alcoholic nerve fiber atrophy
The effect of alcohol on visual function can cause a number of serious diseases such as:
- cataract;
- astigmatism;
- retinal disease;
- corneal disease;
- atrophy of the optic nerves.
Alcohol atrophy is caused by a decrease in image quality, which occurs due to severe damage to nerve fibers. The main symptoms of atrophy of the nerve fibers of the eye include:
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- deterioration in color perception;
- the visibility area is significantly reduced;
- the occurrence of pain when moving the eyeball;
- visual acuity decreases.
The photo shows a healthy optic nerve and its atrophy
The effect of alcoholic beverages on human organs
Important! Atrophy develops individually in each person; the disease can be rapid or slow. In the absence of modern treatment, vision decreases and eventually a person may go blind.
Doctors' recommendations
Any drinks containing ethyl alcohol have a detrimental effect on vision if they are abused. They are allowed to be consumed, but in small quantities and not daily.
Some are useful for improving digestion, blood composition and maintaining health. Ophthalmologists recommend:
- do not use for acute illnesses, ethyl alcohol reduces the immune system;
- Do not combine with antibiotics and other medications;
- consume moderately in small doses (a glass of wine or champagne on a weekend or 2 times a week will not do any harm).
Vision can be restored after alcohol, if it does not lead to a significant decline in vision. When the eyes are red after a feast, doctors recommend using eye drops that moisturize the mucous membrane.
When ethyl alcohol is completely removed from the body, the condition of the visual organs will improve.
Slowly but surely
The most effective and useful methods for generally improving your health after drinking and, in particular, removing bags and swelling in the eye area, involve a thorough and long-term “treatment.” It consists of cleansing the body of the very cause of swelling - the remnants of the processing of ethyl alcohol, which poisons the liver and kidneys and can make it difficult to remove excess water.
In order to relieve swelling as a symptom of a hangover after alcohol abuse, you need to cleanse the stomach by drinking activated charcoal in accordance with the “patient’s” weight. You can also give a swollen person a gastric lavage - give him a lot of liquid to drink and induce vomiting.
Having completed the initial “cleansing” measures, it is worthwhile to strengthen the weakened health and provide support to the liver and kidneys. To restore normal metabolic processes in the body, you can drink a portion of cabbage or cucumber pickle, eat a few pickled cucumbers or tomatoes. Fermented milk products - yogurt, kefir, ayran, as well as a hearty breakfast - will help overcome a hangover, and, therefore, remove puffiness of the eyes and bags under the eyes.
At the end of the “resuscitation” procedures, it is recommended to take a contrast shower in order to finally restore order to the state of health, remove alcohol processing products excreted through the skin and stimulate the body to independently fight the consequences of drinking.
What is not recommended to do is to “treat” yourself by taking a new portion of alcohol - this will not only not help relieve swelling from the eyes, but will also worsen the situation, again forcing the liver to quickly begin its duties.
A cucumber mask will help - place thinly sliced cucumber rings or a grated mass wrapped in gauze over your eyes.
What causes involuntary shaking (tremor)?
Chronic alcoholism occurs with certain symptoms, including tremors of the head, hands, and tongue. This is an involuntary small trembling that tends to intensify in the morning and on an empty stomach. In some cases, after eating or drinking, the tremor disappears, so alcoholics cannot do without a hangover. At the same time, a person without alcohol dependence in a state of hangover experiences an aversion to alcohol (to the smell and sight).
Do not confuse small and large tremor. The latter affects the entire body and most often occurs after a single excessive use of alcohol. It does not indicate the development of addiction, but indicates acute poisoning. This requires urgent removal of harmful products from the body through detoxification. It is recommended to consult a doctor for advice on effective ways to eliminate toxins.
