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When it comes to eye care, there’s so much more that goes into maintaining healthy vision than a yearly checkup and eye exams. In fact, your day-to-day decisions, like how much you drink, can have potentially negative effects on your vision. Here, eye doctors at Tri-State Ophthalmology in Ashland, KY, explain how alcohol can affect your eyes.

Short-Term Eye Effects

eye careWhen you drink alcohol, it can contribute to dry eyes as alcohol dehydrates the entire body. It can also cause your eyes to twitch. Eyes can also have less sensitivity to different light contrasts. This is especially important to keep in mind when you consider driving at night or seeing things in the bright sunlight. Additionally, alcohol consumption causes the blood to constrict, which can reduce your pupil’s ability to dilate properly. This can cause problems when you’re in situations that need quick responses, such as getting out of the car into sunlight or turning on the lights in a room. 

Long-Term Eye Effects

Too much alcohol over time has been related to various eye conditions, such as cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and tobacco-alcohol amblyopia, all of which can ultimately result in vision loss. Because alcohol prevents vitamins from being absorbed properly, patients are at a higher risk for vitamin deficiency, which can cause night blindness, retinal damage, or a thinned cornea. Additionally, if you’re pregnant, drinking has been found to harm the baby’s eyesight.

If you’re looking for experienced and trustworthy eye doctors in Ashland, KY, visit Tri-State Ophthalmology. With extensive experience in everything from routine eye exams to more serious eye conditions or cataract surgery, the team is well-equipped to help you with all of your eye care needs. To learn more about their services, visit them online or call (606) 324-2451 to set up your first appointment. 

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