The effects of alcohol on your eyes

Long-term effects of alcohol

So, we've touched on some noticeable short-term effects, but continuous consumption of alcohol can have a more serious and lengthier impact on your eyes, leading to vision problems, including:

• A lazy eye: Also known as amblyopia, a lazy eye can be prompted by excessive drinking and increases your risk of loss of vision and permanent damage.
• Cataracts: Studies have shown that there's a link between cataract development (involving cloudy patches covering the lens of your eye, blurring your vision) and high alcohol consumption.
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): Alcohol abuse is a risk factor for this eye disease developing, which harms the macula (the central part of the retina) and reduces your visual acuity.
• Vitamin deficiency: Vitamins are essential for your eyes to remain in tip-top shape, and being a heavy drinker can often drain your body's reserve, possibly resulting in optic neuritis. This condition makes the optic nerve that sends messages from the eye to the brain inflamed, leading to loss of central vision and blurry vision.

At the end of the day, the key to drinking alcohol is to simply have it in moderation. This way, you can protect both your body and your eye health going forward.

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