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Introduction
A post circulating online claims that sexual frequency is linked to eyesight, alleging that people who have sex fewer than 13 times a week risk going blind.
The claim, widely shared on social media, attracted numerous comments and reactions from users. See this and this. The posts were accompanied by a purported front page of the Aug. 23, 2026 edition of Spanish newspaper EL PAÍS.
DUBAWA’s search of the newspaper’s online archive did not establish that the circulating image is a genuine front page for the stated date.
A screenshot of the purported 23 Aug. 2026 edition of Spanish’s EL PAÍS newspaper
Because of its virality online, DUBAWA examined the relevant medical evidence, the possible mechanisms behind rare vision complications, and whether published research supports the alleged 13-times-a-week threshold to assess its accuracy.
What does research say about having sex fewer than 23 times a week?
DUBAWA reviewed published medical research to establish whether having sex fewer than 13 times a week increases the risk of blindness.
The studies identified document rare cases of sudden vision loss associated with sexual activity, but none establishes that infrequent sex causes blindness or identifies 13 times a week as a threshold for protecting eyesight.
A 1995 case series by Thomas R. Friberg and colleagues, published in Archives of Ophthalmology, examined six patients who experienced sudden visual loss after vigorous sexual activity. The researchers documented bleeding in different parts of the eye, including the retina and vitreous, the gel-like substance filling the eyeball.
Five patients followed for at least a month showed spontaneous improvement, while those who returned for long-term follow-up had complete visual recovery. However, the study involved only six patients and did not investigate how frequently they had sex.
A separate report published in the Journal of Glaucoma in 2016 described a 51-year-old man who experienced repeated episodes of temporary, painless vision loss in one eye after intercourse. Doctors identified narrow or closed drainage angles in both eyes, and his symptoms resolved after laser peripheral iridotomies, a procedure used to address angle-closure risk in appropriate patients.
The studies show that sudden visual disturbances can occur in association with sexual activity under particular circumstances. However, they do not demonstrate that having sex fewer than 13 times a week causes blindness.
DUBAWA did not identify credible scientific evidence establishing the alleged 13-times-a-week threshold.
Can sex affect your eyesight?
Although the specific claim about having sex fewer than 13 times a week is unsupported, sexual activity can, in rare circumstances, be associated with sudden vision problems.
Optometrist Augustine Dery told DUBAWA that vigorous sexual activity may sometimes cause damage to small blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
“Especially during vigorous sex or vigorous sexual activity, there can be occasions where the blood vessels at the retina, the tiny ones, can actually burst or rupture and then leak blood,” Dery said.
The retina receives light entering the eye and converts it into signals that the brain interprets as images. Bleeding or structural damage affecting the retina can interfere with vision, potentially causing blurring or sudden visual impairment.
Dery also identified retinal tears as another possible cause of sudden vision loss following sexual activity. He explained that another possible complication is angle-closure glaucoma, which can cause eye pressure to rise rapidly in susceptible individuals.
These complications do not mean that sex routinely damages eyesight. Rather, they illustrate how particular physical events or underlying eye conditions can sometimes affect vision.
How can sexual activity lead to sudden vision loss?
Several possible mechanisms have been documented, although these complications are uncommon and risks vary based on a person’s underlying health.
1. Bleeding inside the eye
Small blood vessels in and around the retina can rupture, causing blood to leak into retinal tissue or nearby spaces inside the eye.
Depending on the location and extent of the bleeding, a person may experience blurred vision, dark spots, or sudden visual impairment.
The 1995 case series discussed earlier documented bleeding in different parts of the eye among six patients who experienced sudden visual loss after vigorous sexual activity. However, the study did not establish how common these complications are or whether sexual frequency affects the risk.
2. Retinal tears and other structural damage
A retinal tear occurs when the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye breaks. If fluid passes through the tear and causes the retina to detach, the condition can threaten sight and requires urgent medical assessment.
Dery mentioned retinal tears as another possible explanation for sudden vision loss after vigorous sexual activity.
However, retinal tears and detachments have several possible causes and risk factors. An eye examination is necessary to determine what has happened in an individual case, and the condition should not automatically be attributed to sex.
3. A sudden rise in eye pressure
Dery also referred to angle-closure glaucoma, a condition in which the drainage angle inside the eye becomes blocked or closes, potentially causing eye pressure to rise rapidly.
A sharp increase in eye pressure can affect vision in susceptible individuals. Acute angle closure is an eye emergency, and symptoms may include sudden eye pain, a red eye, blurred vision, halos around lights, headache, nausea, or vomiting.
The important distinction is that this is a specific medical condition, not a consequence that should be expected from ordinary sexual activity. A person’s underlying eye anatomy and susceptibility matter.
Does having sex more frequently protect your eyesight?
There is no established scientific basis for recommending a particular number of sexual encounters each week to prevent blindness.
“Evidence that a physical activity can occasionally trigger a medical complication does not mean that avoiding the activity, or performing it more frequently, will prevent that complication,” Dery explained.
The studies reviewed for this explainer examined acute visual symptoms associated with sexual activity under particular medical circumstances. They did not establish that sexual abstinence, infrequent sexual activity, or frequent sex determines a person’s risk of blindness.
Several factors influence eye health, including glaucoma, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy.
“Some infections can also affect the eyes. These conditions have their own risk factors, prevention strategies, and treatments; sexual frequency is not an established substitute for appropriate eye care,” Dery added.
Can sexually transmitted infections cause blindness?
Dery also mentioned sexually transmitted infections as a possible way in which sexual activity may indirectly affect eye health.
Certain infections can cause serious eye complications. Syphilis, for example, can affect the eyes, causing inflammation and potentially severe visual impairment if it is not diagnosed and treated promptly. Gonorrhoea can cause serious eye infections, particularly when the eyes are exposed to infected secretions.
HIV can also be associated with eye disease, including complications linked to immune-system damage and opportunistic infections. However, HIV infection does not mean that a person will inevitably become blind.
These risks relate to infection, transmission, and subsequent complications, not to the number of times a person has sex each week. Appropriate preventive measures include safer sexual practices, testing, timely diagnosis and treatment, and seeking medical care when symptoms occur.
What should you do if your vision changes during or after sex?
Sudden vision loss should never be dismissed as a normal consequence of sexual activity.
Seek urgent medical attention if you experience sudden blurring or loss of vision, a dark curtain or shadow across your field of view, new flashes of light or a sudden increase in floaters. Severe eye pain, redness, halos around lights, headache, nausea or vomiting alongside visual changes may also indicate an emergency.
“Do not assume the problem will resolve on its own or attempt to diagnose it based on information found online. An eye-care professional can assess the symptoms, identify the cause, and determine whether treatment is needed,” Dery said.
“People with known eye conditions or previous episodes of sudden vision loss should discuss their concerns with their treating clinician rather than relying on general claims about sexual frequency,” he added.
Conclusion
The claim that having sex fewer than 13 times a week causes blindness is not supported by medical research. Although published reports document rare cases of sudden visual complications associated with sexual activity, they do not establish that infrequent sex causes blindness or identify 13 times a week as a threshold for protecting eyesight.
