Why is my eyesight getting worse?

If you wear glasses, but your eyesight is still getting worse, this can be frustrating. There could be a few explanations. You may simply have the wrong prescription, and would benefit from a sight test and a different pair of glasses.

Alternatively, your sight deterioration may not have anything to do with your glasses. Issues like glaucoma, cataracts or diabetic retinopathy all affect your vision, but can't be improved by wearing glasses. You'll need the underlying causes to be treated.

Eyesight can potentially get better, but it depends on what's causing the deterioration of your vision. Some issues ‑ such as cataracts ‑ can be treated with things like surgery, and this can result in you having much better vision. But other causes of eyesight deterioration can't be fully treated. However, by doing things like wearing glasses or making lifestyle changes, you can manage the symptoms or avoid them getting worse.

Learn more about cataracts

It's rare for your vision to improve with age, but there could be a couple of possible reasons. If you recently made a healthy lifestyle change (such as eating a more nutritious diet or quitting smoking), your eyes could be benefiting.

Another possible explanation is something called 'second sight'. It often happens to people who are developing cataracts and who were previously long‑sighted. As the condition progresses, their near sight improves. While it can seem like a positive thing, it needs to be checked by an optometrist as it can be a sign of eye health problems.

If your eyesight seems to be getting worse quickly it can be very worrying. It's important to work out how sudden the change is and whether it's dangerous. Some sudden sight loss happens in just a few hours or days, and can be a sign of rare but serious issues.

If your sight suddenly becomes very blurred, you notice lots of floaters and flashes or a 'veil' sliding across your eye, this could be a sign of a serious eye condition that could lead to permanent sight loss. On the other hand, eyesight deterioration can 'creep up' on you. For example, your eyesight might have just been gradually getting worse without you realising over a few months or years, but you only realised when you needed to do something unusual (such as reading subtitles on a cinema screen).

UV light from the sun (or tanning machines) can damage eyesight in different ways. This light can damage the cells in different parts of your eyes, and increase the risk of cataracts, eye cancers, eye growths and snow blindness. Staying in the shade, avoiding times of the day when the sun's strongest, and wearing sunglasses and hats can protect you against it.

It's fairly normal for your eyesight to be stronger in one eye than the other, but if you notice one eye's suddenly getting a lot worse, you should get this seen to by an optometrist.

A noticeable deterioration in the vision in one eye can be a sign of certain serious issues including retinal detachment, eye stroke and macular degeneration, among others.

There are a few things you can do to stop your eyesight from getting worse. However, it's important to be aware that some vision deterioration is unavoidable and is just a part of getting older.

Ways to stop eyesight getting worse include following a healthy diet, using sunglasses, protecting your eyes from injuries, doing regular exercise, spending time outside each day and having regular eye tests.

No, this is a common myth. Wearing glasses doesn't make your eyesight any worse. If you begin wearing glasses for a few months, then forget them one day, you might perceive that your vision doesn't seem to be as good as it was before you started wearing them. The likely explanation is that you were used to your eyes straining a lot harder to see things in the past. Wearing glasses means your eyes don't have to strain as much, so they don't do it as easily when you take your specs off. But this doesn't mean your vision itself has got any worse.

If your vision looks misty or washed out, especially in bright light or when driving at night, it could be cataracts.

Learn more about cataracts

When your cornea is shaped more like a rugby ball than a soccer ball, it can cause astigmatism, leading to blurred or distorted vision.

Learn more about astigmatism

Long‑sightedness can cause blurry near vision even if your distance vision is fine.

Learn more about long‑sightedness

Short‑sightedness (myopia) affects distance vision, but usually doesn’t impact close‑up tasks.

Learn more about myopia

Glaucoma can develop gradually and cause vision loss if not caught early, often affecting side vision first.

Learn more about glaucoma

Diabetes can affect the blood vessels at the back of your eye, leading to diabetic retinopathy and vision problems.

Learn more about diabetic retinopathy

If your sight seems foggy or blurred, it could be caused by cataracts or another condition affecting your eye health.

Learn more about cloudy vision

Double vision means seeing two images of a single object, which can happen when the eyes are not aligned or working together properly

Learn more about double vision

Do your eyes feel tried, sore or gritty? Dry eye could be the culprit, making vision cloudy, or as if you have glazed eyes.

Learn more about dry eye syndrome

This is when the edges of your eyelids get inflamed due to an infection or skin problem. It can also make the whites of your eyes appear pink or red. 
 
Learn more about blepharitis

Seeing specks, spots or sudden flashes of light? These are common – but can also be a sign of a serious eye condition. It is worth checking out if they’re new or getting worse.  

Learn more about floaters and flashes

A chalazion is a blocked oil gland in the eyelid that causes a firm, usually painless lump and can lead to eyelid swelling or blurred vision.

Learn more about chalazions