Fibromyalgia and Your Eyes

By Robin Westen

Around one in 50 Americans has fibromyalgia, and most are women. Various symptoms of the disease include widespread pain throughout the body, headaches, sensitivity to odors, sleep disorders and depression. According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, you can add another to the list: vision problems. That’s because fibromyalgia impacts the nervous system, and the eye depends on a number of nerves to function. If you’re suffering with any of the vision difficulties described below, make an appointment with your eye doctor.

Light Sensitivity This condition is also known as photophobia. It can be triggered from sources of bright lighting, such as overhead or fluorescent lights, sunlight, or light from the television. You may also have difficulty driving at night, and this may result from light sensitivity and glare problems. Some people find tinted eyeglass lenses help relieve the discomfort.

Dry Eye This occurs when the surface of your eye doesn’t have the proper balance of lubrication to nourish your eye and help your eyelid glide over the surface. It often causes stinging, itching and redness. Dry eye may also cause episodes of blurry vision. If this is the case, a series of quick blinks will often restore vision. Your doctor may also recommend an artificial tear, an eye drop that doesn’t contain medication but may help provide necessary lubrication.

Eye Pain Fibromyalgia impacts the ocular muscles and may cause misalignment of the eyes. In turn, that may contribute to double or blurred vision. It can be exacerbated by fatigue, lack of sleep, anxiety and stress.

Contact Lens Discomfort Due to the widespread pain associated with fibromyalgia, this condition may also interfere with wearing prescription eyewear. Contact lens users may find that the lenses irritate the surface of the eye. If you continue to have discomfort when the lens is in place, you may have to switch to eyeglasses.

Eyeglass Problems People who have fibromyslgia and wear eyeglasses may also have discomfort if their face is sensitive and the frames press against their face. Your eye doctor, or an optician, can adjust your frames so that your glasses do not sit on a sensitive area.

About the Author

Robin Westen is ThirdAge's Medical Director. Check for her daily updates. Her latest book, co-written with Dr. Alyssa Dweck, is "V is for Vagina."