When your vision gets unclear, you may not be able to see things clearly. Then, you may say that your vision has become blurred. You will say you need to have your eyes checked to see where your eyes have gone wrong; and one of the most common outcomes of the problem would be that you would have a refractive error, which would be treated by prescribed eyeglasses. But, there would be times when you may feel that you are having a cloudy-like appearance in your eyes. Cloud-like formations would be blocking your vision. But, in such a situation, you shouldn’t say that you are having a blurry vision; instead, you must say that you are having a blurry vision. People generally use the words cloudy vision and blurry vision interchangeable, while in fact both the terms are actually different from each other.
What is blurry vision?
Before our smartphones, there was a time when we relied on a single lens reflex cameras to click pictures, do you remember? Then, you would also remember how those cameras would go out of focus at times, which would then be required to be adjusted manually to be able to focus. The image you would see when the camera went out of focus, is the same experience you would encounter when you have blurry vision. The object in front of would appear hazy, with vague outlines and no clear detailing. Whether you see objects close to you as blurry, or those far from you as hazy, depend upon the condition you are suffering from. Nearsightedness won’t allow you to see objects far away clearly, while farsightedness won’t allow you to see objects near clearly. But, apart from these two conditions, there are many other conditions that can bring up blurry vision; some of them being astigmatism, retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, corneal scarring, optic neuritis, or any other infection in the eye.
What is cloudy vision?
Cloudy vision is when you feel like you are looking through fog or a dirty window, giving you an urge to blink and wipe off the film from your eyes. Along with that, you may also experience double vision, poor night vision, halo or glare around lights, light sensitivity, dry eyes, or watery eyes. One of the most common reasons why you may experience cloudy vision is when you suffer from cataracts. Other conditions may include macular degeneration, eye inflammation, eye infection, or dirty/damaged contact lenses.
What to do when you experience blurry or cloudy vision?
Now you know how to identify between blurry and cloudy vision. But, whatever kind of irritation you suffer from, it is always advisable that you get in touch with a professional to have your eyes treated. Understanding your symptoms and condition is one thing, and trying to treat it or avoid treating it altogether is a different thing altogether. Trying to treat the condition on your own, or delaying treatment may result in severe conditions. So, don’t pretend that everything is under control, and get in touch with a specialist as soon as you experience any eye problems. Arohi Eye Hospital is the best retina specialist in Mumbai where you can get the finest examination and diagnoses done, followed by the best treatment from specialist eye doctors in the country.
Dr. Shradha Goel
Dr. Shradha Goel, Chief Surgeon at Arohi Eye Hospital, is a renowned Phaco-LASIK surgeon with over 10,000 surgeries to her credit. She earned her MBBS from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, and a Master’s in Ophthalmology from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. As a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Goel specialises in LASIK, refractive errors, and cataract treatments.