Blurred vision: Red Flags & Emergency Signs

🚨 Call 999 / 112 Immediately

• ⚠Sudden complete or partial vision loss in one eye — central retinal artery occlusion (<90 min window)
• ⚠Sudden blurred vision with severe eye pain and halos — acute angle closure glaucoma
• ⚠Visual loss with severe headache and jaw pain in elderly — temporal arteritis (high-dose steroids prevent bilateral blindness)
• ⚠Blurred vision with facial droop or arm weakness — stroke affecting visual cortex
• ⚠Sudden double vision with drooping eyelid — posterior communicating artery aneurysm

⚡ See a Doctor Today

• •Blurred vision with BP >180/120 — hypertensive retinopathy or hypertensive emergency
• •Gradual visual field loss (like a curtain) — retinal detachment
• •Blurred vision with flashing lights and floaters in a short-sighted patient — posterior vitreous detachment/retinal tear

High-Risk Combinations

When blurred vision occurs together with any of these symptoms, urgency increases significantly:

Conditions to Rule Out Urgently

Condition Authority Pages