What Causes Halos Around Lights?
If you're experiencing halos around lights, it could be due to several different factors, some of which may require medical intervention. Understanding the underlying causes is the first step in getting the appropriate treatment and ensuring the health of your eyes.
Refractive Errors
Refractive errors, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, occur when the eye doesn't refract light properly. This results in vision distortions, including the appearance of halos around lights. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), refractive errors are the most frequent eye problems in the United States.
Nearsightedness: The eye's shape causes light rays to focus in front of the retina instead of on it, leading to blurry vision for distant objects. Halos may appear more prominent during nighttime.
Farsightedness: This is the opposite of nearsightedness. Light rays focus behind the retina, making close-up objects appear blurry. Halos can occur when you're focusing on distant lights.
Astigmatism: This condition is caused by an irregular shape of the cornea. This unevenness can scatter light as it enters the eye, creating halos and other distortions.
Refractive errors can often be corrected easily with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. A visit to an optometrist can confirm the diagnosis and help you find the best correction method.
The Cloudy Issue of Cataracts
Cataracts are one of the leading causes of vision loss in people over age 40. The eye's natural lens becomes clouded, which disrupts normal vision. According to the National Eye Institute, cataracts affect 24.4 million Americans aged 40 and older, and the prevalence increases with age. The clouding scatters light entering the eye and can manifest as halos around lights.
Early-stage cataracts might not significantly impact your vision, but they progress over time.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma can sneak up on you without noticeable symptoms in the early stages, earning it the nickname "the silent thief of sight." The disease is characterized by elevated intraocular pressure, which can damage the optic nerve over time. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, more than 3 million Americans have glaucoma, but only half are aware of it.
Early detection is crucial. One of the symptoms you might notice is the appearance of halos around lights, which can be an indicator of increased eye pressure affecting your optic nerve. Discover more about Glaucoma.
Dry Eyes
Dry eyes might seem like a minor inconvenience, but they can lead to a host of vision problems, including halos. In the United States, dry eye disease (DED) is a common problem. About 16.4 million adults have been officially diagnosed, and another 6 million display symptoms but haven't been diagnosed yet. Inadequate tear production or poor tear quality can cause light to scatter in different directions as it enters the eye, leading to the perception of halos around lights.
Medication Effects: A Lesser-Known Cause
Certain medications can alter your vision and cause halos as a side effect. Antihistamines, some blood pressure medications, and even specific types of glaucoma medications can lead to this phenomenon.
Always consult your doctor if you notice vision changes after starting a new medication. You may need to switch to a different drug or adjust your dosage.
Post-Surgery Vision Changes
If you've recently had eye surgery, such as LASIK or cataract removal, experiencing halos is not uncommon. Your eyes are adjusting to the changes, and the healing process can cause temporary vision distortions. However, these usually resolve as your eyes heal.
Fuch's Dystrophy: A Corneal Condition
Fuch's dystrophy is a progressive eye disease that affects the innermost layer of cells in the cornea, known as the endothelium. The dysfunction of these cells leads to fluid accumulation within the cornea, causing it to swell and distort vision. One of the vision distortions you may notice is halos around lights. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Fuch's dystrophy is estimated to affect about 1% of the U.S. population.
Scleral Lenses for Fuch’s Dystrophy
Photokeratitis: Sunburn for the Eyes
Photokeratitis is essentially a sunburn of the cornea caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or artificial sources like tanning beds or welding machines. The condition is temporary but can be painful and cause various visual symptoms, including halos around lights.
What Causes Photokeratitis
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a condition where the cornea thins and gradually bulges outward into a cone-like shape. This altered shape disrupts the way light enters the eye, leading to distorted vision and halos around lights. Recent data from the Gutenberg Health Study suggests that keratoconus affects about 1 in 200 Caucasians. This means that in the United States, more than 650,000 people in just the Caucasian community could be dealing with this eye condition.
In the early stages, corrective lenses or specially designed contacts can help manage the symptoms. However, in severe cases, a corneal transplant may become necessary.
How to Manage Keratoconus.
