Is this your symptom?
- Loss or change in vision
- Blurred vision or seeing double
- Seeing floaters, flashing lights or haloes
- If caused by an injury, see the Eye Injury care guide
Causes of Loss of Vision
- Most changes to vision can be treated if seen early by a doctor.
- Never ignore changes in vision. Always contact your doctor.
Causes of Sudden Loss or Change in Vision
- Object in Eye (serious). Things such as sand, dirt or sawdust can get into the eyes. The eye can get infected and leak pus if the object is not taken out. The infection will not get better with eyedrops. Can cause long term loss of sight.
- Eye Scratches. If scratched, the eye will be red, watery and hurt. Vision may be blurry. This may happen when putting in contacts or removing an object from the eye. It may feel like you have something in your eye. Scratches get better fast, but the eye may need to be covered to heal.
- Shingles (serious) is a painful rash that looks like a line of blisters. Can happen on the eye. Pain may be dull, sharp or stabbing. Can cause long term changes to vision.
- Cold Sore Virus (serious) can cause eye infections, long term vision changes, blisters and pain. Often in one eye of adults who have had cold sores. Always wash your hands well before touching your eyes.
- Swollen Nerve in the Eye causes quick loss of vision in one or both eyes. Vision may be darker with less color. Can be painful and happen more than one time. It can be linked to other illness.
- Fast Onset Glaucoma (serious)
happens when the flow of fluids in the eye is stopped. Pressure builds up in the eye and can cause long term changes in vision. Most common in people 50 years and older. Get checked by a doctor right away. Symptoms are:
- Severe pain that starts quickly
- Seeing rings around lights
- Light bothers the eyes
- Watery eye
- Feeling sick to your stomach or vomiting
- Headache
- Scleritis (serious) feels like a severe dull eye pain. Pain can spread to the jaw or forehead. Light may bother the eyes. You may notice changes in vision. More common in people 50 years and older with other health problems.
- Endophthalmitis (serious) is a painful, red eye and poor sight after a surgery or a blow to the eye. May also be linked to drug use or weak immune system.
- Detached Retina (serious) can cause you see spots, shadows and flashes. May cause you to be blind. Not painful in most cases.
- Blocked Blood Vessels in Back of Eye. Vision can be lost quickly if the eye is not getting enough blood. It does not cause pain.
- Bleeding in Center of Eye causes vision to become dark. Does not hurt. Goes away on its own over weeks or months. Vision will go back to normal.
- Deep Infection in Eye (serious)
can be in the eyelid and around the eye. Often only on one side. It can be caused by other infections in or near the eye. Symptoms are:
- Red, swollen, very sore eye
- Eye looks pushed out
- Seeing double
- Sight is not clear
- Fluid leaking from eye
- Artery in Temple Swells (serious).
This is more common in people 70 years or older. Does not cause pain in the eye. See a doctor right away to protect your eye from long term vision loss. Symptoms are:
- Loss of vision in one or both eyes
- Hurts to touch temple
- Bad headaches
- Pain in jaw when eating
- Severe Headaches can cause short term changes in vision. Changes can be in one or both eyes and lasts about an hour. Headache may last longer.
- Stroke (serious). Bleeding or blood clot in the brain. Vision changes can be short term or long term.
- Dry Eye Syndrome happens when not enough tears are made by the eye. The eyes feel gritty and painful, but are not red. More common with old age. It can be caused by medicines or other health problems. Pink eye with pus can be common with dry eyes.
Causes of Slow Loss of Vision
- Cataracts cause sight to be cloudy in one or both eyes. If severe, colors may seem less bright and (oncoming) car lights sparkle.
- Pterygium. The white part of the eye gets yellow and thick. It can grow onto the clear part we see through and block your vision.
- Loss of Focus happens with age and can often be fixed with glasses, contacts or surgery.
- Long-term Glaucoma is not painful. Often not noticed at first because changes to vision are very slow. May cause you to see rings of light around objects. Vision changes may last forever.
- Macular Degeneration is loss of vision straight in front of you. It is caused by a break down in eye cells.
- Diabetes and High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) can harm blood vessels in the eyes that can change your vision.
- Retina Cell Break Down makes it hard to see at night. You may not be able to see things on your side when looking straight. Happens most to people 10 to 30 years old.
- Brain or Eye Tumor is not common, but can cause slow loss of vision.
When to Call for Eye - Vision Loss
Go to ER Now
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
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Self Care at Home
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Go to ER Now
- Vision is lost in either eye (or both)
- Seeing double and can't look up
- Eye looks pushed forward or bulging
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Vision is blurred
- Severe eye pain
- Sudden onset of flashes of light, floaters or haloes in your vision
- Feeling like a curtain coming across the vision
- Weak immune system. Examples are: diabetes, sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, organ transplant, taking oral steroids, kidney problems.
- You are already blind in the other eye
- Bright light hurts your eyes but none of the above symptoms
- You feel weak or very sick
- You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- You see floater(s); small spots that float across your vision
- Eye pain is more than mild
- Eye pain and you are more than 50 years old
- Headache
- You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- Slow changes in your vision over a period of months or years
- Last eye exam was more than 1 year ago
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Short-term blurred vision, could be from eye strain
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
