Well lit objects within a rational distance should normally be clear. Clear vision occurs due to a combination of factors involving the eyes, nerves and the brain. When one complains of having wavy lines in the vision, he usually refers to zig zag lines when he sees something or zig-zag lines surrounding an isolated spot of misshapen vision.
Light enters the eye through the cornea, i.e. the clear anterior aspect of your eyeball, where it gets refracted partially. It then gets bent by the lens to make sure that a clear image gets focused on the retina, i.e. the inner lining of the eye. The macula is an egg shaped region of the retina that’s in charge of your visual acuity. Light stimulates receptors in the retina, which get converted into nerve signals and messages that are sent to the brain. The visual centers in your brain decode these impulses and signals and proffer you the sense of vision and that is how you see things.
There are several different medical conditions / disorders which can cause visual disturbances described as wavy lines, however, these the two conditions have wavy lines as a distinctive symptom – macular degeneration and ocular migraine.
The visual disturbances are typically unvarying and tend to worsen with time in macular degeneration; on the other hand, it is episodic and comes and goes in ocular migraine.
It is very vital that you immediately meet with your health care provider or ophthalmologist to get your eyes / vision tested.
What Causes Wavy Lines In Your Vision?
Macular degeneration is a chronic eye condition wherein the macula starts deteriorating gradually. It is the chief cause of blindness in the developed world. There are two types of macular degeneration – dry and wet. Dry macular degeneration is commoner. The macula tissue wears off and breaks down over a period of time. Wet macular degeneration begins as a breakdown of the tissue and then the retinal blood vessels start to leak out blood and fluid. Advancing age is a predisposing factor and macular degeneration develops in older people. The exact cause of macular degeneration is unknown.
Ocular migraine is a type of migraine wherein there is vision loss or visual disturbances along with the headache. It is a rather rare condition which afflicts less than 1 % of those individuals who are prone to migraine headache. The visual disturbances are fleeting, and they last between 4 – 72 hours. The precise cause of ocular migraines is not yet known, but it has been postulated that spasms of the retinal blood vessels or a disturbance in the nerves which carry signals from the retina are contributing factors.
Treatment For Wavy Lines In Vision
Wavy lines in your vision are a symptom of some medical condition, and must be investigated and treated. Treatment targets the root cause and will manage macular degeneration or ocular migraine. Steps will be taken by your ophthalmologist to slow the progression of macular degeneration such as – taking vitamin supplements, eating certain ‘eye foods’ and not smoking.
The treatment for ocular migraines is similar to migraine headaches in general. You will be given NSAIDs, anti-epileptics and tricyclic anti-depressants. The visual disturbance is passing and does not produce long term complications, thus, specific treatment is not usually required.