Why Is My Vision Fuzzy and My Head Hurts?

Fuzzy vision along with headache may be caused by stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), migraine, eye injuries, concussion, binocular vision dysfunction (BVD), and eye strain.

Fuzzy vision that develops suddenly and is accompanied by a headache may be a sign of a serious health problem.

Fuzzy or blurred vision can have many benign causes, such as cataracts, but this is a condition that develops over time. When vision suddenly becomes fuzzy and your head hurts, go to a hospital’s emergency department right away. 

Causes of fuzzy vision and headache may include: 

• Stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)
  • May cause sudden fuzzy vision in one or both eyes
  • Other symptoms of stroke or TIA may include:
    • Numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, usually only on one side of the body
    • Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
    • Problems walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination
• Migraine
  • Can cause an intense headache and fuzzy vision and other vision problems 
  • Other symptoms of migraine may include: 
    • Nausea
    • Vomiting
    • Sensitivity to light (photophobia) and sound (phonophobia)
• Eye injuries
  • Something hitting or scratching the eye
  • An irritant getting into the eye
  • Any accident that can impact vision should warrant a visit to a doctor to prevent complications such as vision loss
• Concussion
  • A blow to the head can cause a concussion, which is a type of traumatic brain injury 
  • Other symptoms of a concussion may include: 
    • Slurred speech
    • Vomiting
    • Balance problems 
    • Confusion
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Seizures
• Binocular vision dysfunction (BVD)
  • A misalignment between the two eyes, causing the eyes to struggle to work together
  • Other symptoms of BVD may include:
    • Dizziness
    • Anxiety
    • Fatigue
    • Light sensitivity
    • Motion sickness
• Eye strain
  • Occurs when the eyes become exhausted from prolonged use, such as looking at a computer screen or driving long distances
  • May be a sign of an underlying eye condition
  • Other symptoms of eye strain may include:
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Increased sensitivity to light
    • Feeling unable to keep your eyes open
    • Sore, tired, burning or itchy eyes
    • Watery or dry eyes

Treatment for fuzzy vision and head pain depends on the cause. 

Stroke is a medical emergency. If you or someone you know has any signs of a stroke, call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital’s emergency department immediately. Treatment for fuzzy vision and head pain due to stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) depends on the kind of stroke that is occurring. This is why it’s so important to get to a hospital quickly. 

Early treatment for ischemic stroke includes:

• Thrombolytic therapy
  • Medication called alteplase or “tPA” is administered intravenously (IV) to break up the clot blocking blood flow to the brain
• Mechanical thrombectomy 
  • Involves placing a catheter in the blocked artery and removing the clot using a “stent retriever device” or suction to reopen the blocked artery
• Antiplatelet medications such as aspirin
• Blood thinners (anticoagulants) 

Treatment for hemorrhagic stroke includes:

• Surgical treatment to prevent or stop bleeding or reduce the pressure inside the skull
• Aneurysm treatment 
  • Such as a clamp, coil embolization, or stents called flow diverters 
• Arteriovenous malformation treatment 
  • May include surgery, radiation to shrink blood vessels, or embolization techniques
• Decompressive craniotomy 

Treatment for fuzzy vision and head pain due to migraine may include:

• Non-medical treatments
  • Rest
  • Massage
  • Biofeedback
• Pain relievers
• Other medications
  • Triptans
  • Trigger point injections
  • OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox)
  • Antiemetics (anti-nausea medications)
  • Selective serotonin 1F receptor agonist
  • Calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) antagonists
  • Ergotamine preparations
• Neuromodulation
• Peripheral nerve blocks

Treatment for fuzzy vision and head pain due to eye injuries may include:

• Seek emergency medical treatment right away
• In the meantime: 
  • Do not rub the eye or apply any pressure to the eye
  • Apply a small cold compress to reduce pain and swelling
    • Do not use steaks or other food items because they can get bacteria into the eye
  • If chemicals get into the eye, immediately flush the eye with plenty of clean water

Treatment for fuzzy vision and head pain due to concussion may include:

• Rest the body and brain
• Avoid alcohol while symptoms are present
• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)

Treatment for fuzzy vision and head pain due to binocular vision dysfunction (BVD) may include:

• Prismatic lenses to correct the misalignment in the eyes 
• Vision therapy to improve the communication between the brain and the eyes

Treatment for fuzzy vision and head pain due to eye strain may include:

• Lifestyle changes 
  • Take frequent breaks
  • Blink more often
  • Adjust the lighting to reduce glare on surfaces
  • Use an anti-glare screen on your computer monitor
• Home remedies 
  • Place warm compresses over your eyes 
  • Use artificial tears (eyedrops) 
  • Use a humidifier to help prevent dry eyes