Cloudy Vision

Different kinds of cloudy vision

Does your vision seem cloudy? There are a few different ways people experience cloudy eye vision. Some people get sudden cloudy vision in one eye, while for others it affects both. For some people, hazy eyesight lasts a few minutes, but others get it for days, or notice it gets worse over time. Whatever's causing your cloudy or foggy vision, you'll want to get to the bottom of it fast. In this guide, you'll learn about cloudy vision causes, common symptoms, and how to get help.

Cloudy Vision vs Blurred Vision

People sometimes confuse cloudy vision and blurred vision. While they have some similarities, there are some important differences too.

• With blurry vision, things appear less sharp, clear and defined. Hard lines may appear soft, and things seem out of focus. However, if you squint, you might notice objects become temporarily sharper. While things look less clear, colours remain the same. Blurry vision often comes on more slowly (sometimes over a few years) and usually affects both eyes. 

• With cloudy vision, the world appears misty or foggy, and colours often appear faded. Unlike with blurred vision, squinting doesn't make things look sharper. People may experience sudden cloudy vision, or cloudy vision that comes and goes. You may only get foggy vision in one eye, but it can also affect both. 

What does your cloudy vision look like?

Cloudy vision can affect your vision in different ways. Here are some examples: 

Foggy vision in one eye or both eyes 

Your entire field of vision from one or both eyes appears faded, cloudy or misty. Colours are muted and the world appears to be in a fog. 

One part of your vision appears cloudy 

While most of your field of vision is normal, one specific area appears cloudy or foggy. It can look a bit like a smudge on a pair of sunglasses. 

Peripheral vision is cloudy 

Your peripheral vision appears cloudy, but the main field remains normal. It might feel a bit like you're looking through a tube. 

A curtain, mist or veil 'sliding' across  

You notice sudden cloudy vision that seems to slide across your eye. 

Why is your vision cloudy?

There are a few conditions that can give you cloudy vision in one eye or both eyes. We'd always recommend booking an appointment with your GP or speaking to an eye doctor to get to the bottom of it. Remember, eye tests are bulk billed to Medicare*, so there are no out of pocket expenses to you for getting your cloudy vision checked out. 

Cataracts

This is when the lens inside your eye starts to become cloudy. Some 411,000 Australians have cataracts according to AIHW, and it's more common among older people (about 10% of over 65's have cataracts). 

Infections and inflammation

Infections may cause changes or damage to the cornea, which is the clear bit at the front of your eye. There are a few possible causes of eye infection, including conjunctivitis. 

Migraines

If you suffer from migraines, you may experience an aura before or during the migraine (sometimes known as ocular migraines). This can cause cloudiness in a certain part of your field of vision (as well as zig zags or flashes that might look a bit like lightning). 

Macular degeneration

About a quarter of a million Australians have macular degeneration, according to AIWH. The macula is the part of the eye that controls sharp vision. As you get older, the macula can become damaged, and this can cause milky central vision. 

Diabetes

This common condition can damage blood vessels in your eye (a complication known as diabetic retinopathy). This may cause cloudy vision. 

Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)

If you have low blood sugar (this is particularly an issue for people with diabetes), your vision may appear cloudy. 

Fuchs’ Dystrophy

This is a rare inherited condition which affects the cornea (the part of the eye that lets light in) and typically begins in middle age. An early sign of Fuchs’ Dystrophy is cloudy vision in the morning which improves over the course of the day. 

Eye trauma

Scratches or shocks to your eye could make your vision cloudy. 

Listed on a valid Medicare card without Optometry restrictions.