By definition, temporomandibular joint or TMJ disorders (TMD) are any conditions that affect the jaw joints and surrounding muscles and ligaments. So, you may think such dysfunction can only cause pain or discomfort to your jaw, ear, and neck.
While it is true that TMD does cause earaches and jaw pain, it can also bring about problems for your eyesight. These issues include blurry vision, reading difficulty, droopy eyelids, eye strain, watery eyes, floaters or moving spots in your vision, pressure behind the eyes, and sensitivity to light.
Can TMD Affect Your Eyes?
Your TMJs connect your jawbone or mandible to your skull. They are located just in front of your ears. Due to the proximity of the eyes to TMJs, experts believe that TMD can be the underlying cause of blurry vision, eye pain, and other visual disturbances. Several studies also support this claim.
In addition, your temporalis muscle, which is responsible for moving your lower jaw, is anchored just behind your eyes. So, if TMD affects it, the excess tension it gets will compress the nerves connected to your eyes. As a result, you may experience eye pain.
Does TMD Cause Your Blurry Vision or Eye Pain?
Eye pain and other visual disturbances can be caused by many things, like infection or trauma. So, how will you know if TMD is the reason why you have blurry vision or why your eyes hurt? To help you, here are some steps you can take:
Observe if your eye pain tends to flare up after an intense jaw activity like talking and chewing.
Aside from eye pain or blurry vision, check if you have other TMD symptoms like earache and jaw pain.
Talk to your doctor to confirm if TMD is the real cause of your eye pain or blurry vision.
Contact The Center for TMJ and Sleep Apnea Now!
Contact The Center for TMJ and Sleep Apnea today to learn more about the connection between TMJ and blurry vision. Our doctors will be more than happy to provide you with more information. And if you have a temporomandibular joint disorder, we can help you, too. Reach out to us now at 704-220-1930 to set up an appointment.