Blindness in one eye: what causes deterioration or loss of vision?

Blindness in one eye is a symptom that cannot be underestimated. It occurs suddenly from full health, but it can also occur over a long period of time. Alternatively, it is congenital.

Visual impairment can be partial or complete.

The most common questions are:
What causes the deterioration or loss of vision in one eye?
Why do I have blurred vision in one eye?
I lost my vision for a few minutes. Why?
What is the technical term for blindness?

Blindness (amaurosis) is a serious condition that interferes with quality of life. Approximately 80% of all stimuli in our environment are picked up by vision. Thus, the eyes are one of the most important sensory organs.

It is divided into congenital and acquired, and also into partial or complete. A reduction in visual ability is referred to as practical blindness. In complete blindness, the ability to perceive through sight is absent.

It is important to have a professional examination as this condition may point to various causes. The underlying cause may be a vascular or neurological disease or also an accident.

Cause of temporary loss of vision in one eye

Temporary loss of vision affects one or both eyes. For the most part, these are conditions that cause insufficient blood supply to the eye.

In this case, the loss of vision lasts seconds to minutes.

The vascular cause...

The blood supply to the head area is provided by the carotid artery.

A process of atherosclerosis occurs in the blood vessel and platelets adhere to the damaged blood vessel wall. A blood clot is formed.

The risk arises from loosening and subsequent leakage into more distant parts of the bloodstream, in this case the head or the eye.

The blood clot (thrombus) partially or completely blocks the blood supply to the area behind the cap. And depending on the location, health problems arise.

Examples are stroke and also blindness in one eye due to occlusion (closure) of the retinal artery. In this case, a distinction is made as to whether occlusion of a branch of the retinal artery or the central retinal artery has occurred.

Visual impairment may indicate the aforementioned stroke if the visual centre in the brain is affected. In addition to double vision or blindness in one eye, it may also manifest itself in other neurological problems.

Whatever the cause, this condition requires immediate professional diagnosis followed by timely treatment. The delay can endanger not only vision but also overall health and life.

Amaurosis fugax also occurs in connection with the carotid artery. Blindness occurs when a mural thrombus (clot) is released from the site of an artery damaged by atherosclerosis.

The clot restricts blood flow to the retinal arteries. Subsequently, after the flow is released, visual correction occurs.

Blindness or visual impairment lasts only seconds or minutes. No more than an hour.

When this form of blindness occurs, immediate professional examination is necessary. This is because of the risk of stroke.

Plus...

Blood clots can also come from the heart. It happens mainly when the heart rhythm is disturbed or the endocardium is inflamed.

An irregular heart rhythm causes thrombus formation right in the heart. The thrombus can be ejected into the large (body) bloodstream when the heart muscle contracts. It also gets into the blood vessels of the eye and brain (or into the abdomen to the lower extremities).

In inflammation of the endocardium (called endocarditis), the inner layer of the heart, the problem occurs at the site of damage. In this section, platelets clump together to form a clot. The clot can also cause embolization to these distant areas of the human body.

Neurological causes are another type.

In the neurological field, this is inflammation of the optic nerve. The other very common cause is migraine or also a more serious degenerative neurological disease, namely multiple sclerosis.

And double vision and squinting, for example, can indicate myasthenia gravis.

A serious condition is a brain tumour. And last but not least, head trauma.

What can cause impaired vision (in one eye)?

If we are looking for causes, we need to keep in mind a wide group of diseases and conditions. Not all of them are serious or severe at the moment. However, they can be serious in the long term and for possible complications.

The table lists the most common causes of blindness in one eye

What are the symptoms to look out for?

Blurred vision in one eye can be a warning that something is wrong with your vision. There may also be warning signs.

An example of a problem could be:

• poor and impaired vision in one eye, but also in both eyes
• reduced visual acuity, focusing problems
• blurred or obscured vision
• gaps in the field of vision
• flashes and scotomas in the field of vision
• eye pain, itching, burning, stinging in the eye
• redness of the conjunctiva
• purulent eye and plaque
• headache
• drooping of the corner of the mouth/eyelid
• paralysis on one side of the body
• vision problem after injury
• impaired vision in twilight or darkness

Who is at risk?

• Women over 40
• seniors with advanced age
• people suffering from migraine
• people with cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure
• people with diabetes and other autoimmune/rheumatic diseases
• men using Viagra

Diagnosis and treatment

It is early diagnosis, together with early treatment, that can be the success that will protect your eyesight.

It is important to remember that any sudden problem requires a specialist. Investigation is also necessary if the problem has occurred in association with an accident. Likewise if the visual acuity impairment occurs slowly as the years go by.

+ When there are other associated and warning symptoms.

This is the information that the doctor obtains from the patient, followed by a thorough eye examination.

The ophthalmologist will perform ophthalmoscopic measurements of intraocular pressure/tonometry, or OCT (optical coherence tomography) or other vision tests.

Blood pressure measurement, blood sampling for laboratory parameters, glycaemia, CT scan, ECG and other methods are used in differential diagnosis.

Treatment is based on determining the underlying problem.

For example, when a blood vessel is blocked by a blood clot, the effect of drugs that inhibit the process of blood clumping and "dissolve" the blood clot are used. Examples include warfarin, aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid).

In migraine, medications are used to relieve pain. Others include medications to reduce intraocular pressure, high blood pressure, and others.

Surgery will help resolve cataracts and other problems. And for example, for stroke, intravascular intervention.

Preventive measures that touch on a proper lifestyle, limiting fats in the diet (vegetables, fruits, vitamins, minerals, drinking), getting enough exercise and limiting stress will help. And not smoking or drinking alcohol (alcoholism is meant).

+ A preventive check-up is important.