Why does my vision fluctuate?

It’s not uncommon for people to experience inconsistencies in their vision.

People with near-perfect vision can often panic and believe that their vision is worsening, only to have the problem correct itself after a while.

But people with poor eyesight, who need contacts or glasses, can experience short-term improvements in their eyesight, too.

Have you noticed a change in your vision?

So, while the question of “why does my vision fluctuate?” or “why does my vision seem to improve temporarily?” may not be asked to opticians all that often, they are still very valid questions which we will attempt to answer on this page.

In short, there are a couple of reasons that you may experience fluctuations in your vision that may make it seem like your vision has improved or worsened:

If you suffer from diabetes

As a diabetes sufferer, you will already know the importance of regular eye check-ups.

There is a risk that you may develop diabetic retinopathy – a disease that can damage the retina and cause a permanent loss of vision.

But you may not know that your blood sugar levels can have immediate effects on your vision. If your blood sugar level is high, your lens grows larger and your vision can become blurred. Conversely, if it drops, you may feel like your vision has improved.

Dry eyes

Dry eyes can be an uncomfortable experience and one that affects your vision. The dryer your eyes, the worse your vision becomes.

If you use over-the-counter medicine, however, you may actually feel your eyes begin to improve. The more hydrated your eyes become, the better your vision. There have been cases of patients actually experiencing improvements in their eye exams after regularly using eye drops.

Hormone fluctuations

During pregnancy, in particular, fluctuations in your hormone levels can impact your vision. They can cause your vision to worsen and your vision to improve.

Naturally, as your hormone levels fluctuate over the course of your pregnancy, these improvements will only be temporary. It is sensible to hold off on eye exams until after pregnancy as a result.

It is natural for your vision to fluctuate?

Don’t worry – or celebrate too much – if you feel like your vision is changing over a short period of time. As we have shown above, this is a completely natural occurrence.

However, should your vision worsen over a period of several months, make it a priority to book an appointment with your optician.