Why is my vision distorted all of a sudden?

When your sight suddenly changes and things look warped or distorted, it could be a sign that something is wrong with the back of your eye. One serious possibility is retinal detachment. The retina is like a thin screen at the back of your eye that helps you see. If it detaches, it can cause sudden distortion along with symptoms like flashing lights or a shadow in your vision, and it needs to be treated urgently. Another possibility is that your vision is affected by a migraine. With migraine aura, you might see wavy or zigzag lines and other unusual patterns before a headache begins. This type of visual change may last a short time and then go away. Because distorted vision can signal different conditions, it is important to speak with an eye doctor promptly to find out what is causing it.