Vision problems with anxiety?

[nowhopefull]

Does anyone have trouble with their vision with their anxiety? My vision has been really weird and its hard to explain... It has been really sensitive to light and its harder to adjust going from dark to light. A lot of times the letters on the tv are blurry.. But I guess what's bothering me the most is it seems I can only see properly when I look close up, I don't think I need glasses.. This is going to sound crazy but When I look at myself in the mirror my vision just doesn't look/feel right until I look really close and then it's okay..it's so frustrating because as you can see by this question it's so hard to explain!   Anybody have a similar experience?

[emjif]

These are exactly all the symptoms I've been experiencing and ii feel really reassured that its just my anxiety. I though something was really wrong with me..xx

[emjif]

These are exactly all the symptoms I've been experiencing and ii feel really reassured that its just my anxiety. I though something was really wrong with me..xx

[nowhopefull]

I was mistaken.. The glasses are for driving and tv and stuff like that .. Not reading

[nowhopefull]

I was mistaken.. The glasses are for driving and tv and stuff like that .. Not reading

[Paxiled]

Here's a possibility.  A lot of people with stress get migraines, but even short of migraines when you're stressed things get constricted -- muscles, of course, but also blood vessels.  Now, in your case, it sounds like classic near-sightedness, but I'm a bit confused since driving doesn't require that to be corrected -- driving is when you can't see things far away well, not up close since by then it's too late to react.  You don't wear reading glasses to drive.  So there's that.  But a lot of this vision stuff, and I get it too, is related to constricted blood vessels.  There are ways to limit this problem -- the best I found was meditation, when that still worked for me (got rid of my migraines).  

[remar]

I can't go in to certain stores either because of the lights and the way they make me feel. I think they're florescence lights.
I don't think it's the Zoloft either if you've been on it for a long time.
Try to hang in there. I do understand because I'm going through a med change myself. It is no fun at all, as you well know.

[nowhopefull]

Remar
I've been on zoloft for a long time so I don't think it's the zoloft... I reaaly think its the anxiety ! .. I had a panic last night because I took my kids to Walmart and the lights bugged my eyes out.. I did ok tho ..thank youvso much for your support... I'm getting so hopeless that I'm not gonna get a med that works....

[remar]

Can I ask if the vision problems started before or after you when on Zoloft?
It's really hard to say how long it will take for your med to kick in. Hopefully very soon. We're all so different. Some of us can start felling better in a few days while it can a few weeks for others to feel better. You've only been on 150 mgs for 4 days so try to hang in there and give it some time, okay. We're here to support and help you any way we can.

[nowhopefull]

I started taking it properly again the end of January , 50 mg once a day for a month , then for two days I took an extra 25mg at night , then I went to the hundred for two and half more weeks .. Tried Paxil for 8 doses , got side effects, new doc out me back on zoloft (only had missed a couple if doses) so I've been back on for a bout a week and a half, four days on 150 mg.. How much longer do you think I should give it??

[remar]

No, once the Zoloft starts working you should feel much better. When did you start taking it?

[nowhopefull]

And nursegirl I won't keep getting out of touch worse and worse and lose touch with reality for real right?

[nowhopefull]

Yes it is ringing true and I did assume that it was a but if that too! Like a constant fog right? So annoying!  I'm just waiting for this darn zoloft to kick in haha...I personal messages you ... You don't do that do you :)

[nursegirl6572]

Look up derealization...if I was a betting woman, I'd say you've got some of that going on.  Your eyes/vision have nothing to do with this.  This is probably yet another panic/anxiety symptom.

Derealization is an alteration in our perception of our environment, due to severe and chronic anxiety and panic.  Often people will describe that everything looks "funny", as if things look "dream-like" or cartoonish almost.  Or as if you are watching your life through a movie projector, or through someone else's eyes. You feel very disconnected, weird, and odd.  Colors look weird and strange.  Brightness is an odd kind of bright...everything just looks "different"....not normal.  When I first experienced DR, I thought for SURE something was wrong with my vision, and after about 4 eye doc appts, I found out what was plaguing me.  

The good news is, it's completely harmless, the bad news is, it usually hangs around for a while, until the anxiety starts improving.  DR will improve along with the anxiety.  

Check out my journal list...I did a journal about DR and another anxiety side effect called depersonalization.  That one is the less common of the two.  DP deals more with one's perception of their SELF, their APPEARANCE, whereas DR deals with the environment and the world around us.  But anyway, the journal is helpful...and there are a lot of comments you may find interesting.  I think you'll relate to a lot of it.

Let me know what you think!  Any of it ringing true?

[nowhopefull]

Yes it can't help to get checked.. Do you take medication for your anxiety?

[blued82]

Well that's good that you went, maybe I should go. I would love to look at the world like I used to instead of with foggy vision. I think that brings on a lot of my anxiety! I will be trying to drive and my vision will get blurry and then the panic attack hits....

[nowhopefull]

Thanks for the reassurances guys!  I did go to the eye doctors today and he said I was a bit nearsighted and would benefit from glasses for driving and reading however also explained that because i'm in a bout of anxiety at the moment that I'm also more intuned and bothered by it currently.  So I got the glasses but I think its a mix of both!  

[blued82]

Yes I have been having the same issue! Its like everything looks foggy and blurry. Lights are horrible. They look like they have streamers coming off of them

[dolphin8808]

Yuppers, I have had that as well. Its like some things I would see way too clear and other things I couldn't focus on at all. Just looked strange. I think its just how our brains work with the disconnect.

[nowhopefull]

Thanks!!! It's starting to drive me nutso... Going to the eye doctor at 2:30 :)

[remar]

Yes, I do think many of us that have anxiety also have the strange vision problems. It still would'nt hurt for you to have an eye exam.