Category: Eye Problems

Double vision, whereby two images of a distinct one object are seen is a leading cause of blindness. But if it is caught in the early stages; diplopia patients have 100% chance of recovering good vision. And many people don’t realize it affects young people just as often as it affects older people. Make it a personal goal to get checked and treated. That way, you will have no problem in getting everything on your wish list.

Symptoms and treatment of double vision

Here are some symptoms of double vision depending on the cause

• Droopy eyelids and weakness in the eyes

• Headaches and aching around the eye such as eyebrows or temples

• Misalignment such as the cross-eyed or wandering eye appearance

• Pain with movements in both or one eye

Double vision is a medical condition that should be taken seriously. Some causes of double vision are pretty minor, but others require urgent medical care.

What is the cause of double vision?

The vision system is a combination of multiple areas each with distinct important functions that are harmonized together into one automatic process that is, seeing. You may have assumed this is a simple process, well, that is totally wrong. The cornea, the lens, the muscles, the nerves and the brain all work together to harmonize the process.

Light enters through the cornea and is focused by the lens onto the retina; the extraocular muscles function to rotate the eye while the nerves transport signals containing visual information onto the brain where the information is processed.

Having said that, it suffices to say that any problematic part of this system can cause diplopia. Here are some of the causes. Problematic lenses: A cataract (clouding of the lens in the eye) is a symptom where the lens progressively becomes opaque thereby causing blurred vision. Seek out medical surgery to remove cataracts.

Problems in the muscles: when muscles become weak, the eye may not be able to gaze in directions. Muscle problems are caused by

• Myasthenia gravis-where the nerves in the head are inhibited from stimulating the muscles

• Grave’s disease

• Failure of the neurological system to keep the muscles in sync

Problems of the cornea: when the cornea is unable to direct the incoming light well then the distortion affects vision. Cornea problem may cause double vision in one eye only, and this may be corrected by use of glasses

Nerve and brain infections such as strokes, migraine headaches, tumors, multiple sclerosis, guillain, and diabetes are some causes. Multiple sclerosis damages the spinal or brain nerves that control vision.

The double vision condition is diagnosed through blood tests, imaging (magnetic resonance or computed tomography) or physical examination and treatment will include:

• Corrective surgery to remove cataracts

• Medications such as immunosuppressive drugs to treat myasthenia

• Control of blood sugar by use of insulin and other medicines

• Medical therapy and surgery to treat Grave’s disease: antithyroid medications to control production of hormones and radioactive iodine to destroy thyroid tissue cells