Double Vision Symptoms

Diplopia is a condition in which, whenever you look at any object, you see its two images rather than one. This is also referred to as double vision. It is totally different from blurred vision, in which you see a single blurry and unclear image of an object. It can severely harm your decision-making capacity and quite often, if you insist on driving, put others as well as yours life at risk.

Symptoms of Diplopia

Normally, when we look at an object, the muscles of the eyes co-ordinate with each other to focus on the same object. The brain on receiving information from the eyes processes it and come up with a 3 - dimensional image. But, what if there is lack of muscle coordination, due to some reason. The eyes cannot focus on the same object and this leads to double vision. The symptoms of this eye problem are as follows:

• Crossed or misaligned eyes, which a layman may refer to as 'wandering eyes'
• Double or two images of a single object

Types of Diplopia

The problem can affect single or both the eyes. When a person suffers from it in one eye, the condition is referred to as monocular double vision. In this case, the vision is caused in one eye because of some problem in it, rather than in the muscles that controls movement of the eyeball. The eye problems such as astigmatism, dry eyes, problems with the retina and cataracts may be the causes.

The other type, binocular double vision is caused due to problems of the extraocular muscles that regulates the movements of the eyeball. In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, depending on the cause, some individuals may observe following symptoms:

• During the movement of eye, pain may be felt in one or both the eyes.
• Pain in the areas in the immediate vicinity of the eyes, such as temple and eyebrows.
• Droopy eyelids
• Discomfort in the form of headache and nausea.
• Feeling of the weakness in the eye

Multiple Sclerosis
A patient suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) may also suffer from the problem of double vision. The lesions on the point where the nerves from the eyes join the brain stem may cause diplopia. The lateral rectus muscles: left and right, control the lateral movements of the left and right eyes, respectively. The scarring of the nerve, which is referred to as 6th nerve palsy, controlling these muscles leads to lack of coordination of eye movement and thus, double image.

Optic Neuritis
Optic nerve conducts light and visual images to the brain. It's inflammation is termed as optic neuritis. It is observed in approximately 55% of the patients suffering from MS. It causes double vision in the patient, due to uncoordinated lateral rectus muscles. The condition is generally cured on its own.

Astigmatism
Astigmatism is a disorder of the eyes, which is characterized by the abnormal shape of the cornea of the eye lens. This condition causes the light entering in the eye to refract and the image appears blurred or only a part of the image is clear. The patient also suffers due to astigmatism from double vision. Blurred vision may also affect the patients sight.

There are many factors such as brain injury, heredity and a load of diseases, like thyroid-problems and diabetes, which can cause the above symptoms. Complications during surgical procedures such as laser eye surgery can also lead to double vision. It is often resolved with proper eye care in the form of prescription glasses for the eye, special contact lenses or surgery.