How Alcohol Affects Our Vision

By San Diego Attorney on September 5, 2022

Many adults enjoy a drink or two, whether it be for celebration or relaxation. As enjoyable as alcohol is, users should be wary of the negative effects that overconsumption can have on them, especially on their brains.

Excessive alcohol inhibits proper communication within the brain’s pathways, negatively affecting brain function. While alcohol can create feelings of happiness, bravery, and relaxation, it can also cause slurred speech, poor judgment, memory issues, and balance issues.

Alcohol can also affect your vision. Impaired vision can create all manner of dangerous situations, especially if it is as a result of alcohol consumption. As you consume alcohol, your BAC level (blood alcohol concentration level) increases.

The more you drink, the higher your BAC level, and the more significant the level of intoxication. This means that as you get more intoxicated, your brain function slows, and your vision will start to deteriorate.

What Does Alcohol Do To Vision?

The slowing down of brain function and deterioration of vision causes your eyes to process light and movement a lot slower. This means that when driving, an intoxicated person will not see the headlights of other cars on the road in real-time, rendering them unable to react in time to other drivers.

Alcohol can also cause double vision, which can confuse a heavily intoxicated person. This is why driving while intoxicated is so dangerous, as what you think you are seeing may not be an accurate depiction of what is happening on the road in front of you.

Regular excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to long-term vision effects. Alcohol abuse can damage your peripheral vision, causing you to have tunnel vision, and greatly impairing your ability to see. It can also inhibit the eyes’ ability to see and process color, leading to color blindness, and potentially to overall vision loss.

How To Know If Your Vision Is Impaired

To avoid severe vision impairment during a night of drinking, there are a couple of precautions you can take. Firstly, the main precaution is to simply not drink too much. If you plan on driving, stick to one or two drinks so that you know you will not be intoxicated.

It is wise to know that there is a legal limit of 0.08% BAC in the State of California, therefore you should aim to drink as little as possible if you plan on driving, to avoid going over this limit.

You can also do some checks after drinking that may indicate whether you can drive. Firstly, check your vision. If you are seeing double, your vision is blurred, or a friend notices that your visual reaction time is slower than usual, then driving is not a good idea. You can also check your level of intoxication by checking your motor skills.

One way of doing this is assessing your ability to walk. Can you walk in a clear straight line? Are you stumbling? If you are in any doubt at all about your ability to drive after drinking, the best idea is to simply ask a sober friend to take you home or call a taxi.

Call Our San Diego DUI Defense Attorney Today

If you are found drinking and driving with a BAC level of over 0.08%, you will be charged with a DUI, as this is a criminal offense. A DUI can have serious consequences and impact all areas of your life. If you are accused of driving under the influence, you need a lawyer’s advice on dealing with the charges you are facing.

Have you or a loved one been accused of DUI in San Diego? Do not hesitate to call jD Law Criminal Defense Attorneys today at (760) 630-2000 for quality legal advice and to get the help you need.