Often Experience Blurred Vision During Fasting? Here's the Explanation from an Expert

JAKARTA - During Ramadan fasting, the body undergoes many adjustments, ranging from changes in diet, sleep time, to fluid intake. Not only affecting stamina, these changes can also have an impact on eye health.

One of the complaints that is often felt is blurred vision, especially in the afternoon. So is this condition normal?

Nandini Sankaranarayanan, Ophthalmologist from Medcare Eye Center explains how fasting, dehydration, and sleep changes can affect the eyes, as well as what can be done to keep vision healthy during Ramadan.

Light blurred vision while fasting is not unusual, especially in the late afternoon. This is usually related to the decrease and decrease in tear production, which can temporarily affect the eye's ability to focus.

The eyes need a stable layer of tears so that vision remains clear. When the body is deficient in fluids, tear production decreases so that the eyes can feel heavy, dry, or slightly blurry. This condition is usually felt more at the end of fasting time when body fluid levels are at their lowest point, said Dr. Nandini, quoted from the Gulf News website.

In addition, changes in blood sugar levels can also cause temporary blurred vision. Blood sugar levels that are too high or too low can change the ability of the eyes to focus light.

"Usually this condition will return to normal within a few days after blood sugar levels are stable, unless there are previous eye problems, such as diabetic retinopathy," he said.

The good news is, in most people, vision will return to normal after breaking the fast and the body is rehydrated.

Low blood sugar affects vision, usually below 70 mg/dL. This can cause temporary vision problems, such as blurred vision, blurred vision, and black spots.

This happens because the brain and eyes need a stable supply of glucose to function properly. When sugar levels drop, the brain that processes visual information does not work optimally, so vision can suddenly become unclear.

For people with diabetes or who have unstable blood sugar, managing sugar levels during Ramadan is very important. The drastic change between long fasting times and heavy or sweet iftar meals can affect the general health of the body, including the fine blood vessels in the eyes.