Can severe stomach problems and indigestion cause weak eyes?

Stomach problems and indigestion are common but if left untreated it may result in irritable bowel disease. IBD is an umbrella term used to describe disorders that stem from a chronic inflammation of the Gastrointestinal tract. IBD can be majorly of two types: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease. Both of these can cause eye issues that are classified in the medical lexicon as extraintestinal complications.If someone suffers from either UC or Crohn’s, then their physician should keep a check on their ophthalmological health.

According to Dr. Harshavardhan Ghorpade, Consultant Cornea, Ocular surface & Refractive Surgeon, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, "Crohn’s Disease is a condition that can impact any part of the GI tract, right from the anus to the mouth. It is categorized as an autoimmune disease, one that can develop at any age but is usually detected in early stages of childhood and adulthood. Crohn’s Disease leads to the damage of the lining on the intestine, this causes toxins called antigens to leak into the bloodstream. This then triggers the immune system as it views the toxins as harmful, which causes inflammation in various parts of the body, including the eyes. UC causes inflammation of the colon and rectum and a significant percentage of people suffering from UC also develop extraintestinal complications like inflammation of the eyes and skin."
Both conditions can trigger eye issues, which can manifest in the following ways:

According to Dr. Ronak Tate, Consultant Gastroenterology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital Vashi, "This impacts the white part of the eye, Sclera. It causes inflammation and redness of the white part of the eye and is triggered by gut inflammation. It usually goes away once the gut issue is resolved. Episcleritis is painless and correlates with disease severity."

This is a rare and serious form of Episcleritis, and doctors usually prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help treat it. However, in very rare cases steroids might be administered if the symptoms do not subside.


Impacts the cornea of the eye and can manifest in symptoms like aches in the eye. Those infected with it can also experience feelings of having something in their eye.

This causes inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye. A Uveitis flare-up is usually preceded by redness, swelling, pain and blurred vision in one or both eyes. Uveitis is painful and doesn't correlate with disease severity.


Redness and swelling of eyes
Frequent dry eyes that might need an eye drop to be administered
Issue with night vision and trouble driving at night
Photosensitivity
Watery eyes

Blurry vision, eye pain and inflammation are often the first symptoms of UC’s impact on eye health and due to a lack of awareness of the same it often goes unchecked. Issues like dry eyes can also be caused by a Vitamin A deficiency which is also linked to severe indigestion as digesting food and absorption of the constituent vitamins and minerals become harder and it leads to deficiencies of various essential nutrients. Those who have been diagnosed with stomach problems need to do regular eye-checkups to ensure the inflammation does not impact the eyes.
It is also essential to keep IBD under control to prevent frequent flare-ups as they have the potential to further damage the eyes, skin, and other organs. It is also important to be mindful of what you eat and remove certain things from your diet if they happen to cause flare-ups, as precaution.