Can Having a Cold Cause Blurry Vision?

By Natalia Courtois on Feb 10, 2020 @ 11:00 AM

Cold season always seems to be just around the corner. When you start feeling those symptoms, it's clear you don't feel your best. It can impact your work, mood, and energy. Depending on how severe the virus is, a cold can affect your health in more ways than just a runny nose. You might experience swollen nasal passages, headaches, temporary hearing loss and muscle aches. You may even get blurred vision due to sinus pressure!

Key Takeaways:

A head cold can affect your sinuses, throat, and eyes
The symptoms of a cold can cause red or watery eyes, swollen eyelids and even blurred vision
Blurry vision from a cold or pink eye usually goes away after seven to 14 days
If you notice any changes in your vision, check with your eye doctor

The Why

Adenoviruses cause common head colds and usually target sensitive areas in our upper body, like the sinuses, throat, and eyes. That's why it's called a "head" cold! When these areas get infected, they can become irritated, swollen, and congested.

The How

Sometimes an infection can turn into pink eye. This is often called "a cold in the eye." Since the same virus causes both, they have similar symptoms. The symptoms include red or watery eyes, discharge, and swollen eyelids. Blurred vision is rare but can happen due to these issues. If the infection spreads to the eye, you might experience blurry vision and sometimes see halos around lights.

The Cure

Blurry vision from a cold or pink eye can be scary and uncomfortable, but it usually goes away quickly. Colds often clear up in seven to 14 days, or with medicine from your eye doctor if needed.

If you notice any changes in your vision, check with your eye doctor. If you have thick yellow or green eye discharge, pain behind your eye, or uneven pupils, contact your doctor right away to make an appointment. In fact, you should visit your eye doctor every year to help keep your overall health in check!

To help prevent colds, wash your hands often and get plenty of vitamin C!