Halos or bright circles of lights around a light source are often a normal response of human vision to very bright lights.
They are formed when the light entering your eye gets diffracted. However, they are considered a matter of concern when they appear suddenly, are accompanied by pain, blurred vision, or other symptoms – in such situations, seeing halos can indicate the presence of a serious vision disorder.
This article takes you through the common causes of seeing halos and the related treatment options.
5 possible causes and treatments to seeing halos in your vision
1. Cataracts
A cataract is a cloudy area that forms in the eye lens. It develops slowly, and the clouding in the lens can cause diffraction of light entering the eye, which means you’ll see halos around light sources.
Treatment: cataract surgery that involves replacing the cloudy lens with a custom intraocular lens (IOL).
2. Astigmatism
Eye Astigmatism is a common eye health problem in which the shape of the eyeball isn’t perfectly round. This causes blurred vision. The irregularly shaped cornea or lens can cause the light to bend more in one direction. Since the light doesn’t focus on the retina properly, objects may seem blurry, wavy, or out of focus, especially at a distance.
Treatment: corrective lenses or Lasik eye surgery are some of the common treatments for eye astigmatism.
3. Dry eyes
When the eyes become excessively dry, the surface can become irregular, and the light entering the eye may scatter. This may cause you to see halos around bright lights, especially at night.
Treatment: If your eyes tend to become excessively dry, take regular breaks from looking at any digital screens. Include foods such as fish and walnuts in your diet, which promote lubrication of tear ducts. Blink more often. In extreme cases, the ophthalmologist may also prescribe tear-stimulating drugs.
4. Corrective lenses
Corrective lenses like eyeglasses and contact lenses may also cause a halo effect when looking at bright lights.
Treatment: In this case, ask your eye doctor for specialized lenses and how to prevent the side effect of seeing halos.
5. Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition in which the optic nerve is damaged due to high pressure in the fluid circulating in the front of the eye. The symptoms of acute glaucoma generally appear suddenly. These include seeing halos around lights, pain in the eyes and redness, headache, blurred vision, etc.
The treatments include prescription eye drops, oral medications, laser treatment, eye surgery, etc.
Can stress cause halos in your vision?
You may also see halos sometimes simply because your eyes are stressed. Hence, it is important to realize that your eyes also need to relax from time to time.
Here are some tips to avoid side effects like seeing halos due to stressed eyes:
- Take regular breaks if your work involves looking at digital screens
- Ask your eye doctor about simple eye exercises and practice them regularly
- Include foods that promote good vision
- Go for regular eye checkups. Your eye doctor may be able to identify early signs of any underlying eye or overall health issues with a simple vision examination
If you see halos around bright lights due to any of the above-listed reasons, it is best to consult your eye doctor immediately.
Guest Contributor
Aaron Barriga is the online marketing manager for Insight Vision Center, eye care center, Fresno. With a knack for understanding medical procedures, and an interest in eye and vision health, Aaron loves to share what he knows and what he learns.
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