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How Alcohol Affects Your Vision, Judgment and Reaction

Alcohol is meant to be consumed in moderation. If you are drinking in excess or drinking every day, there can be serious consequences. Being drunk alters your judgment and can cause you to put yourself in harm's way or to make bad decisions that you wouldn't make sober. Before drinking alcohol, it is important to understand all of the effects that this mind-altering substance can have on your body.

  1. Vision Impairment

    • Drinking too much alcohol can cause a variety of vision problems. If you are intoxicated the room may look blurry or you may feel like you are seeing double. This happens because once your blood alcohol level is too high, your brain can not send the correct signals to your eyes, causing different components of the eye to not function to their full capacity. These effects will wear off as you sober up, but it is vital not to drive a car or perform any other activity where accurate vision is needed for safety when you have been drinking. Long-term liquor abuse can lead to liver damage which can have permanent effects on your eyesight.

    Judgment

    • Since alcohol is mind altering, it can mess up your judgment. Your brain is not functioning to its full capacity, so the more you drink, the more likely you are to make decisions that you would not make when you are sober. If someone tries to fight you, you will be more inclined to physically attack the person than you would while sober. You would likely not go off with a stranger you just met while sober, but once your guard is down you may run off with the attractive person you just met in the bar, which can result in unprotected sex or rape. If you suffer from depression or anxiety, you are even more at risk to perform irrational behavior while under the influence of alcohol.

    Reaction Time

    • As alcohol flows through your bloodstream and seeps through your brain, your reaction time can be greatly impaired. Besides vision issues, this is the other main reason it is dangerous to drive drunk. You will not be able to swerve your car or stop as quickly if there is an emergency. Your overall motor skills can be slowed down as well. You may take longer to answer people when asked a question or slur your speech.

    Other Dangers

    • Overall, too much alcohol is just not good for your general health. When you drink a lot of alcohol you are consuming a ton of empty calories which can impact your weight and impede your exercise efforts. Alcohol also inflames your liver. Prolonged and excessive use of alcohol can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis and even death due to liver failure. Drinking can make you more accident prone, since your coordination is thrown off while intoxicated. Tripping, falling down steps or bumping into objects are more likely to happen while under the influence.

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