Home / A LISTING OF ALL HEALTH CONDITIONS / Blurred Vision, Unexplained

Blurred Vision, Unexplained

Page Contents

blurred visionWhat Is Unexplained Blurred Vision?

Unexplained blurred vision is unclear or distorted vision that is not caused by allergy, poor refraction (eye test), medication side effects, metabolic disorders, or defects in any part of the eyeball, optic nerve, or in the occipital area of the brain resulting from such problems as calcifications, aneurysm, or tumors.

What Is Unexplained Blurred Vision In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

  • Blurred vision in celiac disease is an atypical sign that is a feature of multiple micronutrient deficiencies characterized by superficial alteration in the surface of the eyeball covering the pupil that distorts images.
  • It is not due to defects in the ability of the pupil to focus.

How Prevalent Is Unexplained Blurred Vision In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Blurred vision has increased frequency in untreated celiac disease.

What Are The Symptoms Of Unexplained Blurred Vision?

  • Blurred vision is marked by unclear vision.

How Does Unexplained Blurred Vision Develop In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

  • Blurred vision results from deficiencies of any or all of these nutrients: vitamin A, riboflavin, and EPA (omega-3 fatty acid)  due to malabsorption in celiac disease.

Does Unexplained Blurred Vision Respond To Gluten-Free Diet?

Yes. Blurred vision due to nutrient deficiencies resolves on gluten free diet that contains adequate nutrition.

6 Steps To Improve Blurred Vision In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity:

Treatment. This condition responds to the complete elimination of gluten, which is the required treatment that improves both blurred vision and gut health.

  • Gut health is the foundation to restore ALL health. Restored health will enable you to maintain a strict gluten free diet, just as other life tasks will be easier.
  • A strict gluten free diet means removing 100% of wheat, barley, rye and oats from the diet.
  • Cutting out bread and other obvious sources of gluten is not good enough for recovery. Even 1/8th teaspoon of flour or bread crumb is enough to sustain the inflammation that is damaging your small intestine, causing increased permeability (leaky gut) and allowing undigested gluten to enter your body where it can damage structures and function, and instigate immune inflammatory responses.

Correct Your Individual Nutritional Needs.

Recovery. You should begin to feel better within a week and notice more energy as inflammation subsides and the  absorbing cells that make up the surface lining of your small intestine are better able to function.

  • Intestinal lining cells are replaced every 5 days. The healing process is like sunburn where the damaged surface layer of skin sloughs off and is replaced with new normal cells.
  • Leaky gut normally resolves in two month after starting a gluten free diet and brings about a big improvement in health. Improvement in intestinal permeability precedes morphometric recovery (cell appearance and structure) of the small intestine in celiac disease.1
  • The intestinal lining may take up to a year to heal.
  • 2 Reduce Inflammation. Foods to Eat and Foods Not to Eat:

Because gluten is inflammatory, eliminate OTHER inflammatory foods from your diet to reduce an additive effect to gluten. At the same time, try to eat foods that reduce inflammation (anti-inflammatory).

Here Are Major Inflammatory Food Types That Reduce Healing:

  • Damaging Foods. In susceptible persons, includes corn, dairy (cow), and soy. Lactose, the sugar in any animal milk disrupts intestinal permeability causing leaky gut.2
  • Allergenic Foods. Includes foods that trigger the immune sytem to produce IgE antibodies. Allergy testing is the usual way to discover these offending foods.
  • Shelf Stable Processed Foods. Includes any that contain additives and preservatives. Look for them on the nutrition label of the box or package. Additives and preservatives also disrupt intestinal permeability causing leaky gut.2
  • Fats. Limit deep fried foods, trans-fats, saturated fats (animal fat/butter), and EXCESSIVE omega-6 fatty acid oils like corn oil. Rancid fats, sodium caprate (a medium chain fat), and sucrose monester fatty acid (a food grade surfactant) induce significant disruption of the intestinal barrier that causes leaky gut.2.
  • Excessive Refined White Flours (bran layer removed)Includes products made from them such as cookies, bread, cakes, pies. Bran contains the vitamins and minerals that metabolize grains and slows the otherwise rapid entry of sugar from their digestion into the bloodstream. Also disrupt intestinal permeability causing leaky gut.2
  • Refined Sugars.  Includes white sugar, corn fructose and high fructose corn syrup.
  • Certain Spices. Includes paprika and cayenne pepper which disrupt intestinal permeability causing leaky gut.2
  • Alcohol and Caffeine. Disrupt intestinal permeability causing leaky gut.2
  • Cocoa and Black Tea increase blood sugar.
  • Rosemary. Increases blood sugar levels and should not be used by persons with insulin resistance or diabetes.

Here Are Important Anti-Inflammatory Food Types to Promote Health:

  • Fruits. Contain ample amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals which are naturally occuring components in plants that detoxify toxins, carcinogens (reducing the risk by 50%) and mutagens.
  • Non-Starchy Vegetables. Support intestinal integrity and provide ample amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Includes green leafy vegetables such as lettuce and kale, also onion, broccoli, garlic, and others.
  • High Quality Complex Carbohydrates. Provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber while boosting serotonin levels to help you relax and feel calm. Includes whole grains, legumes, and root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnips, red beets, and others.
  • Antioxidants. Protect the body from inflammatory oxidant molecules that continually occur and help us handle stress and reduce irritability. Includes vitamin C-containing foods such as lemon, grapefruit, apricot, Brussels sprouts and strawberries, and others. Also, includes vitamin E-containing foods such as nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, and others. Cocoa is good, too.
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Balance opposing omega-6 fatty acids and bad fats. Fish sources includes tuna, salmon, cod, and others. Plants sources include flax, chia seeds, canola oil, and others.
  • Probiotics. Supply normal microbes needed for colon health and health of the body such as these fermented foods: yogurt, kefir, and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar.
  • Prebiotics/ High Fiber Foods.  Food with fiber keeps our population of colonic microbes healthy.
  • Protective Herbs and Spices.  See below #6 below for examples.
  • 3 Information Sheet You Can Take to Your Doctor or Other Health Professional:

Click here.

  • 4 Manage Your Medications Safely:

Many medications deplete vitamin A, Vitamin B2, and EPA (omega-3 fatty acid) that promote blurred vision. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about this possible adverse effect if you are taking any of the drugs listed below. Do not stop prescribed medications without supervision.

This is not a complete listing.

ANTACIDS / ULCER MEDICATIONS

  • Pepcid®, Tagamet®, Zantac® deplete Vitamin A.
  • Magnesium and Aluminum Antacid preparations (Gaviscon®, Maalox®, Mylanta®) deplete Vitamin A.

ANTI-DEPRESSANTS

  • Adapin®, Aventyl®, Elavil®, Pamelor®, Paxil®, Zoloft®, and others deplete Riboflavin (Vitamin B2).

ANTIBIOTICS disrupt intestinal permeability which complicates celiac disease.

  • Gentomycin, Neomycin, Streptomycin, Cephalosporins, Penicillins deplete B Vitamins.
  •  Tetracyclines deplete Riboflavin.

CHOLESTEROL DRUGS

  • Colestid® and Questran® deplete Vitamin A.

FEMALE HORMONES disrupt intestinal permeability which complicate celiac disease.

  • Oral Contraceptives (Norinyl®, Ortho-Novum®, Triphasil®, and others) deplete Vitamin B2.
  • Oral Estrogen/Hormone Replacement (Evista®, Prempro®, Premarin®, Estratab® and others) deplete Vitamin B2.

WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS THAT BIND FAT also interfere with absorption of some nutrients.

  • 5Nutritional Supplements To Help Correct Deficiencies:

The type and quantity of nutritional supplements that may be needed depend on which nutrients are deficient.

  • Multivitamin/mineral combination that provides 100% once a day is useful to improve overall nutrient levels. This is a safe dose, but always check with your doctor to avoid interactions with medications.
  • B-Complex vitamins to supply riboflavin which needs adequate levels of other B vitamins.
  • Vitamin A as prescribed following blood test for status.
  • Fish oil to supply EPA fatty acids.

Storage NoteStore container tightly sealed, away from heat, moisture and direct light to avoid loss of potency. That is, in a safe kitchen cabinet – not in the bathroom or on the kitchen table. Fish oil goes in the refirgerator.

  • 6Manage Natural Remedies: 

Hydration:

  • Eight glasses of water are recommended per day unless there is a contraindication such as kidney or heart disease. The Institute of Medicine recommends approximately 2.7 liters (91 ounces) of total water, from all beverages and foods, each day for women and 3.7 liters (125 ounces) daily of total water for men.
  • If you are thirsty, drink water. Add fresh, squeezed lemon to water. Lemon is anti-inflammatory, alkalizing and provides vitamin C.
  • Hydration Test: Urine should be pale yellow. Fingertips should be plump, without pruning but this may not be reliable when fingers are swollen with edema. Lips should be plump, without puckering. The feeling of thirst can be unreliable.
  • What is wrong with soda, coffee, tea, and alcohol? These drinks are dehydrating, increase acid, and deplete nutrients.

Carminatives. The following  anti-inflammatory plant sources called carminitives help heal the digestive tract. They also tone the digestive muscles which improves peristalsis, thus aiding in the expulsion of gas from the stomach and intestine to relieve digestive colic and gastric discomfort.

Carminative Food Remedies:

  • Raspberry.
  • Carrot is also a cleansing digestive tonic.
  • Grape is also bile stimulating and a cleansing remedy for sluggish digestion and laxative.
  • Redbeets also stimulate and improve digestion and are easily digested.
  • Cabbage also stimulates and improves digestion and is also a liver decongestant.
  • Lettuce also stimulates and improves digestion and is also an alterative, meaning it improves the function of organs involved with the digestion and excretion of waste products to bring about a gradual change.
  • Potatoes are antispasmodic (due to atropine like properties) and a liver remedy.

Carminative Herb Remedies:

  • Sage is also a digestive, astringent, bile stimulant and energy tonic that heals the mucosa.  Drink as tea or use in cooking.
  • Chamomile, lemon balm, and fennel, (as a tea) also help relieve nervous tension.
  • Parsley also relieves indigestion.
  • Rosemary as a tea and in cooking also is a nervous system tonic for stress and fatigue, bile stimulant, and can relieve headaches and indigestion. However, because it increases blood sugar levels, it should not be used by persons with insulin resistance or diabete.
  • Thyme is also soothing remedy useful for stimulating digestion of rich, fatty foods.

Carminative Spice Remedies:

  • Cloves are also antispasmodic.
  • Nutmeg is also useful for indigestion.
  • Ginger.

Exercise Helps:

Exercise improves circulation and rids the body of toxins.

Note: Exercise is important, but the amount and type of exercise undertaken depends on your health. Your first priority is to heal.

What Do Medical Research Studies Tell About Unexplained Blurred Vision In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are highly prevalent in newly diagnosed celiac disease patients.” This study investigating the nutritional and vitamin/mineral status of current “early diagnosed” untreated adult celiac disease patients in the Netherlands found that vitamin/mineral deficiencies are still common in newly “early diagnosed” celiac disease patients.

Eighty newly diagnosed adult celiac disease patients were included and a comparable sample of 24 healthy Dutch subjects was added to compare vitamin concentrations. Nutritional status and serum concentrations of folic acid, vitamin A, B6, B12, and (25-hydroxy) D, zinc, haemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin were determined (before prescribing gluten free diet). Almost all CD-patients (87%) had at least one value below the lower limit of reference. Specifically, for vitamin A, 7.5% of patients showed deficient levels. Vitamin/mineral deficiencies were counter-intuitively not associated with a (higher) grade of histological intestinal damage or (impaired) nutritional status. Extensive nutritional assessments seem warranted to guide nutritional advices and follow-up in treatment of celiac disease.3

  1. Cummins AG, Thompson FM, Butler RN, et al. Improvement in intestinal permeability precedes morphometric recovery of the small intestine in coeliac disease. Clinical Science. Apr 2001;100(4):379-86. []
  2. Farhadi A, Banan A, Fields J, Keshavarzian A. Intestinal barrier: an interface between health and disease. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 2003;18:479-91. [] [] [] [] [] []
  3. Wierdsma NJ, van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren MA, Berkenpas M, Mulder CJ, van Bodegraven AA. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are highly prevalent in newly diagnosed celiac disease patients. Nutrients. 2013 Sep 30;5(10):3975-92. doi: 10.3390/nu5103975. []

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Update quantity

×
- +

Update Price Plan

×
Cancel Subscription

Are you sure you want to cancel subscription

Access Content