Seeing double isn’t twice as nice, it can be downright unsettling. The causes of double vision can be an injury or medication or, in some cases, a symptom of something more serious.
What is double vision?
Diplopia, commonly known as double vision, is when your brain perceives two images of a single object simultaneously. There are two main types of double vision: the most common (binocular) is when both eyes do not work properly together. The double vision usually disappears when either eye is covered. Monocular double vision, which is much more rare, comes from just one eye and disappears when the affected eye is covered.
If double vision comes on suddenly, or if it persists, it's important to have acomprehensive eye examto determine the cause.Your general practitioner may refer you to an ophthalmologist or eye specialist. The cause will determine how your double vision is treated.
Some common causes of double vision include:
Trauma. A head injury, stroke, or other trauma to the brain can bring double vision on suddenly. After examining you, a doctor may refer you to a brain specialist such as a neurologist or neurosurgeon for further testing and treatment.
Irregularity of the eye.If your cornea is cone-shaped, a condition called keratoconus, you may experience ghosting, a form of double vision where two images are usually only slightly separated. If you have hadLasik,PRK (photo refractive keratectomy) or any refractive surgery to help you see better withoutglassesor contact lenses, you may experience some double or ghost imaging because of changes to yourcorneas. Your doctor may prescribe corrective lenses, such as glasses or contact lenses.
Muscle weakness. If you experience double vision when looking in one particular direction, it is most likely due to eye-muscle weakness. Your eye has muscles located on either side of the eyeball that control its left and right movements.Your doctor may require you to wear an eye patch or do special eye exercises to strengthen the muscles. They can also correct muscle weakness with surgery.
Cataracts.Cataractsor clouding of the lenses may also cause ghost images, usually in one eye only. If you have double vision due to cataracts, you may require surgery to have them removed. Cataract surgery is a common “in/out” procedure. Patients usually go home within a few hours. If you require cataract surgery in both eyes, they do not operate on both eyes at the same time. Once one eye has healed from surgery, they will operate on the other.
Disease. A doctor will examine all other possibilities first. In rare cases, double vision could be a symptom of a thyroid condition, an autoimmune disorder, disease, or a tumour.
Make a list of your symptoms and when they began so that a physician can quickly rule out potential causes of your double vision. Avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until your double vision subsides.