Table of Contents
Introduction
That feeling of waking up in the morning with vision that seems blurry, and eyes that feel gritty and heavy, seems to be a fairly common experience that people assume is due to a poor night’s sleep. Often that is true. However, changes in vision in the morning are also a good indicator of the general health of your eyes. Having an understanding of what causes this is key to the way people feel and see each day.
Let us explain most of the reasons why you are experiencing vision fluctuation in the morning, why you have these symptoms, and the steps you can take to protect your general eye health.
Why Does My Vision Feel Blurry When I First Wake Up?
Because your eyes are closed for so many hours during sleep and not blinking, the tear film that generally lubricates your cornea is not being refreshed. While asleep, your cornea also absorbs a small amount of fluid and slightly swells. This process is called corneal edema. It’s a temporary swelling, but it upsets the smooth refractive surface that your eyes need for the proper focusing of light. It’s for this reason that things appear a tad hazy as soon as you open your eyes in the morning. Another reason is that the mucus and debris that normally accumulate around your eyelid edges during the night haven’t yet been swept away before you open your eyes and start to blink.
The good news is that the blurred morning vision is temporary and clears up within minutes after you wake up. The quick blinking helps to replenish your tear film, and natural light and movement of your eyes tell your eyes to start working. To make the transition faster, stay hydrated, and use a humidifier if you live in a dry climate. Also, be sure not to use a fan that blows air right onto your face. Following these simple guidelines can help assure less tear evaporation during the night for a smoother morning transition. If, however, the blurriness in the morning doesn’t resolve after several minutes, it’s a good idea to have your eye care professional look at your eyes because you might have a condition like dry eye disease or elevated intraocular pressure.
Is It Normal for My Eyes to Feel Dry and Gritty in the Morning?
Could My Morning Vision Changes Be a Sign of Something More Serious?
For most people, vision changes in the morning are nothing to worry about. They go away pretty quickly once you’ve blinked a few times and your eyes rehydrate and adjust to being awake. Here are a few of the harmless causes. When someone sleeps on their side, the cornea gets temporarily distorted because of pressure from their pillow. Another cause is from sleeping with eyes a bit open. This condition is known as nocturnal lagophthalmos, which is a normal breakdown of your tear film while you are asleep. Generally, these vision changes resolve themselves shortly after waking and blinking your eyes a few times. They are also normal if they follow this pattern each morning, and quickly resolve shortly after you are awake.
There are, however, some morning vision changes that need to be examined more closely and should not be thought of as simply a normal thing:
See an eye doctor if you notice any of the following:
- Blurry eyesight that lasts longer than 10 to 15 minutes after you wake up
- If you see halos or rainbow-tone rings surrounding lights, this might be due to increased eye pressure or the beginning of glaucoma.
- Any eyesight changes that seem different than the morning fogginess you usually experience
- A sensation of pressure in or near the eye, pain, or redness
- If you see flashes of light or new floaters when you first wake up, this could mean you have retinal issues
- Vision that is obviously worse in one eye than in the other.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, particularly if they are new ones or ones that have gotten worse or are recurring, it’s best to be in touch with your eye care professional. Since many serious eye conditions that are caught in the early stages are very treatable, it’s key to having peace of mind.
How Does Sleep Quality Affect My Eye Health?
Sleeping is a lot more than just a resting period for your eyes. It is a time when your eyes repair, regulate pressure, and restore cells. While you are in deep sleep mode, intraocular pressure normally fluctuates. It has been suggested through research that poor or broken sleep interferes with your eyes’ ability to properly regulate this. Sleep that is chronically disrupted has been shown to be associated with a higher risk of glaucoma and less corneal cell replenishment. It is important to note that sleep apnea has been linked to glaucoma because the constant drops in oxygen it causes are also associated with retinal vein occlusion and the flow of blood to the optic nerve.
Dry eye disease is also linked to poor sleep quality. People who have insomnia or just poor sleep have been reported to have a higher rate of dry eye symptoms, probably because the eye surface needs a long time of eyelid closure to restore that protective tear film. In short, being sure to get a good night’s sleep is an important factor in your eye care. Try your best to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, get treatment for any sleep disorders you’re having, and avoid looking at your electronic screens before going to bed. All these will help your vision for the long term. If you are not a good sleeper and have symptoms that are getting worse or any eye discomfort or vision changes, it is important to mention them to your eye doctor.
What Role Does Screen Time Play in How My Eyes Feel Each Morning?
Looking at your electronic screens in the evening has a greater impact on the way eyes feel in the morning than people realize. When you stare at a screen, your blink rate is reduced by as much as 60 percent. This leaves the ocular surface dry and irritated by bedtime. Blue light suppresses melatonin production, delaying the start of sleep and lessening your general sleep quality. These all make the problem even worse overnight. This is because you are starting to sleep with a deficit. For this reason, people who are heavy screen users generally wake up in the morning with more dryness and blurriness than people who are not looking at their screens for hours before going to sleep. If you stop screen usage at least half an hour before going to sleep, it will make quite a difference in the way your eyes feel in the morning.
What Can I Do to Improve How My Eyes Feel When I Wake Up?
It is good to know that most eye discomfort in the morning can be easily managed with just a few simple steps. If you apply a warm compress to your closed eyelids for about five to ten minutes in the morning, it will help loosen debris and stimulate the meibomian glands, which produce the protective oily layer of your tear film. Using lubricating eye drops that are free from preservatives can help a great deal in relieving that morning dryness and grittiness, particularly if you live in a dry or hot environment.
For a healthier ocular surface by morning, remember to use a humidifier if you’re in a dry climate. Be sure to be well-hydrated all day long and stop looking at your screens before going to sleep. These simple steps all contribute to healthier eyes in the morning. If you use contact lenses, be sure to remove and clean them well each night because wearing them overnight can lead to increased eye dryness and an increased risk of infection.
When Should I See an Eye Doctor About My Morning Vision?
Many morning vision oddities are not at all harmful. However, some symptoms should have an eye care professional take a look. Since it may not be harmless, don’t put off scheduling your appointment if you have any of the following:
- Blurry or hazy eyesight that does not go away within 10 to 15 minutes of waking up
- Halos or rainbow-colored rings that appear around lights can be a symptom of higher than normal eye pressure or even early-stage glaucoma
- Changes in your vision that seem different from your general morning foggy feeling
- A feeling of pain or pressure in or around the back of your eye
- Redness that just doesn’t go away by itself
- New issues like floaters, light flashes, or what seems to be a shadow or a curtain across your line of sight
- A very big difference in the quality of your eyesight between your two eyes when you wake up
- Symptoms of dry eye that are so uncomfortable, they hamper your ability to function normally in the morning
If you are experiencing new symptoms, symptoms that are getting worse, or just don’t feel right, it’s time to speak to your eye care professional. It is recommended that adults have a comprehensive eye exam at least every year or two, and more often if you have an existing condition or even a family history of eye disease. Getting a handle on these issues early will nearly always result in a better outcome.
How Can Golden Vision Help Treat Morning Vision Changes?
Our Golden Vision eye care professionals know that constant morning eyesight changes are generally the first sign that there is an underlying condition that needs attention. If you have chronic dry eye, blepharitis, increased eye pressure, or even early warning signs of glaucoma, our team will identify the cause using comprehensive eye exams and our advanced diagnostic technology. You will be able to find out the cause of these symptoms.
Golden Vision offers a complete spectrum of care to address what is going on while you are asleep and the way it affects your eyesight in the morning. We offer personalized dry eye treatment plans as well as in-office meibomian gland therapies, prescription eye drops, and continuing monitoring of conditions like glaucoma. If your eyes no longer feel comfortable or your eyesight isn’t as clear as it should be when you wake up in the morning, you should schedule an appointment so we can help you begin each day by seeing very clearly and feeling great.