Could some of this be related to medications?

ocean10

I ran across a brief mention of the effects of medications on vision. Made me think about whether some of our issues could be related to various medications. When I started looking there seems to be a decent amount of literature written about SSRI's (and similar) and potential vision effects.

This article has a pretty good summary of what I found: https://www.verywellmind.com/blurred-vision-and-antidepressants-1067358

In general these medications affect neurotransmitters which seems like creates at least a chance there is a connection. Also in particular they mention:

"These medications may impact the eye's pupillary muscles"
Photophobia (light sensitivity)
Palinopsia (persistence of visual phenomena)
Visual snow syndrome (flickering dots in vision)
Photopsia (eye floaters or flashes)
Night blindness (inability to see in dark conditions)

Not all of this is exactly what we all seem to experience but I can definitely see how some of this could be connected to issues with PWM and/or displays in general. I seem to be sensitive to LEDs/PWM (can barely look at new iPhone) and also I seem to not be able to use just about any monitor/laptop screen produced in the last 5 years or so. I can look at an iPhone SE or monitors from the early 2010's for HOURS without issue.

I've taken a low dose of Lexapro (Escitalopram) for years and I also take a low does of Vyvanse.

Perhaps there is something with newer technology that is exacerbated by medications?

Does anyone else take anything similar and also have these issues?

tsb

The SSRI I use is causing "enlarged pupils (black circles in the middle of the eyes)". This is an excerpt from its side effects and personally I felt this since the very beginning of taking it. After like 15 years I still know this effect is present, because when not taken, my vision is getting disturbed - actually "turning back" to its original state.

To my understanding, this enlargement can ofc cause things like harder focusing, which will force the eye musculature much more - which in the end will need to pump the blood vessels around them (just like a gym) and the two effects together will push nervous system parts, causing every kind of problems we all know. Normally, after a day or two the muscles and the vessels are resting out and the symptoms are gone.

Vividblu99

These SSRI medications can definitely have an impact on vision, as can other medications such as corticosteroids used to help control Asthma.

However, these new LED based displays also have an impact on vision and hormones. So it'll be difficult to establish a cause and effect - correlation/causation.

It's common knowledge that LED's are linked to the lowering of melatonin - a hormone associated with sleep regulation, among a whole host of other important functions such as acting as a free radical scavenger and promoting the release of antioxidant enzymes. Science hasn't yet fully established the long term safety of LED lighting, and the long term implications on human health and any environmental impacts. Yet LED's are widely used in all new devices/bulbs/displays - without much long term safety data.

(Sources: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/14/increase-in-led-lighting-risks-harming-human-and-animal-health

https://phys.org/news/2021-08-streetlights-contribute-insect-population-declines.html

https://health.ec.europa.eu/scientific-committees/easy-read-summaries-scientific-opinions/are-led-lights-safe-human-health-0_en

If your vision is being affected by all types of different display technology, then it's likely caused by the medication. However if your vision is only disturbed by specific types of display technology, then it's likely the display tech that is the culprit.