Symptom Checker

  • When to seek medical advice

    • Get emergency medical care if you have sudden changes in vision or injury to your eye. Specific factors that may accompany urgent vision-related medical conditions include sudden onset of:

    • Severe eye pain or irritation
    • Vision loss or double vision
    • Eye floaters, flashes of light or halos around lights
    • Severe headache
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Numbness or paralysis on one side of the body
    • Confusion, dizziness or difficulty speaking

    See a specialist in vision problems (optometrist or ophthalmologist) if you experience any vision problems that impair your ability to read or write comfortably, drive safely, or participate in everyday activities.

Mayo Clinic Health Manager

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Vision problems

Find possible causes of vision problems based on specific factors. Check one or more factors on this page that apply to your symptom.

  • Blurry distant objects

  • Blurry nearby objects

  • Blurry or blind spot in center of vision

  • Blurry vision at all distances

  • Bright zigzag lines

  • Clouded, hazy or dim vision

  • Dark streaks or red film blocking vision

  • Double vision

  • Fading of colors

  • Flashes of light

  • Glare with bright lights

  • Halos around lights

  • Inability to distinguish certain shades of color

  • Loss of side vision

  • Objects appear crooked or distorted

  • Poor night vision

  • Progressive expansion of shadow or curtain over visual field

  • Seeing nonexistent things, or hallucinating

  • Sensitivity to light

  • Shimmering spots or stars

  • Spots or strings floating in field of vision

  • Swelling around the eye

  • Tunnel vision

  • Vision loss, partial or total

  • Both eyes

  • One eye

  • Holding objects away from face

  • Holding objects close to face

  • Squinting

  • Use of bright lighting

  • Gradual or progressive

  • Recent (hours to days)

  • Sudden (seconds to minutes)

  • A few minutes

  • Usually no longer than 30 minutes

  • Confusion or difficulty speaking

  • Dizziness or difficulty walking

  • Eye pain or discomfort

  • Eye redness

  • Eyestrain

  • Headache

  • History of diabetes

  • Numbness or paralysis on one side of the body

  • Other sensory disturbances

 

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