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    Double-ish vision?

    Hi fellow MS'rs

    I've recently noticed I have, what I can only describe as "ghostly" double vision. For example, I am staring at a car's headlights--and right underneath the headlights are an exact duplicate, but not as bright. Same thing with road signs, billboard text, etc. it is terrible at night, very distracting, so my husband drives.

    It is most apparent with lights or kit objects, text, reflective surfaces, and objects with clearly-defined borders (I.e., tree branches, etc. don't bother me.) it is also much worse if I am tired. It is more severe if I look up, rather than down.

    Funny thing is, if I slightly cross my eyes, just a hair, it goes away! I've been getting headaches from serious eye-strain, and more migraines than usual. I work mainly on a computer as a visual artist/designer, so this is really draining.

    I have an appointment with a neuro-ophthalmologist for a complete work up at the end of the month...but not because of this. I made the appointment in late November as I haven't had my eyes checked in over a decade (got LASIK at 20, hmm, exactly 20 years ago now!) I figure I'll just deal with it when I go in...the apt. is a 3-4 hour one.

    Anyone have similar issues?
    RRMS 2011, Copaxone 2011-2013, Tecfidera 2013-current

    #2
    Something similar

    After a bout of transverse myelitis, I found out I have a fairly large blind spot in my left eye due to optic nerve damage on that side. This was pre-dx and I had seemingly inexplicable eye strain and ocular migraines as well. For the most most part my right eye can compensate for it due to the location of the nerve damage, thank god, but other times ie: hot/fatigued, it doesn't. Its more obvious when driving, night driving especially.

    What I see during those times is similar to what you see when you tilt you head at an angle and then open one eye and close the other except both my eyes are open. I thought it was double vision but the Neuro said it wasn't. It's kind of hard for me to describe so I hope this makes at least a little sense!

    Also during my last flare my left eye tracked more slowly than my right, so it seemed like double vision but really wasn't either. I guess because it only happened when my eyes were moving? Anyways good luck with your appt, the Neuro-opt is the guy who helped me.
    You can't stop washing your feet just because you're afraid you'll fall in the shower.

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      #3
      Originally posted by alishape View Post
      Also during my last flare my left eye tracked more slowly than my right, so it seemed like double vision but really wasn't either. I guess because it only happened when my eyes were moving?
      Hi alishape:

      This might surprise you, but what you described IS double vision.

      If one eye is moving faster and the other is moving slower, it means they're not moving together in unison. And if they're not moving together, it means that they can't both be looking at the same thing at the same time. And if they're not looking at the same thing at the same time, it means that one eye is looking at one thing and the other eye is looking at something else. Since each eye is seeing something different than the other eye, each eye sends its own picture to the brain. The brain gets two different pictures. Two = double. THAT's what's called double vision.

      In your case, it happened only when your eyes were moving because it was the unequal speed of the movement that broke their unison -- one eye faster and one eye slower. When your eyes weren't moving, they were able to find one or more places where they could come together at rest and there was no speed difference breaking them apart. And if the eyes aren't being separated, they can both look at the same thing at the same time. And if each eye is looking at the same thing at the same time, the brain gets the same picture from each eye at the same time. As long as the pictures are in the same place at the same time, the brain can blend them into one picture and maintain single vision.

      Originally posted by alishape View Post
      What I see during those times is similar to what you see when you tilt you head at an angle and then open one eye and close the other except both my eyes are open. I thought it was double vision but the Neuro said it wasn't.
      If it involves your blind spot, that would not be double vision. If your neuro can't explain why, your eye doctor can.

      Comment


        #4
        Thank you for sharing your experience--this has crept up on me, I didn't realize how bad it had gotten until this past Monday. I think it's definitely a flare...which makes the 2nd flare in the past 7 months I have been doing quite well on Tecfidera, I thought, but perhaps I need to reexamine my meds?

        Unfortunately I am in the process of transferring to a new neurologist (same dept as old neuro so continuity shouldn't be an issue) and I have yet to meet with him. I hope this stabilizes soon and I start to feel better...ugh, I don't want steroids unless I absolutely have to.

        Thank you for the well-wishes
        RRMS 2011, Copaxone 2011-2013, Tecfidera 2013-current

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by KateA2 View Post
          Unfortunately I am in the process of transferring to a new neurologist (same dept as old neuro so continuity shouldn't be an issue) and I have yet to meet with him.
          Your neurologist isn't the right specialist to be dealing with your vision issues. S/he he isn't trained or equipped to examine you properly, which is necessary for a correct diagnosis. If you really think you can't wait until your neuro-ophthalmologist appointment at the end of the month, you could see a general ophthalmologist, or even an optometrist. For your vision issues, that's still preferable to trying to have a neurologist deal in her/his limited way with what s/he knows about eyes and vision.

          Originally posted by KateA2 View Post
          I don't want steroids unless I absolutely have to.
          Unless the brainstem is involved and a person is going to die from respiratory and other major system failure, no one with MS ever has to have steroids. Studies have shown that steroids don't have any effect on the final outcome of a flare. So treating or not treating with steroids rarely makes any difference.

          And not treating is preferable to having a neurologist misdiagnose an eye problem and prescribe steroids for a condition they don't have any chance of helping (like computer vision syndrome or the natural progression over time after rudimentary, first-generation LASIK). I hope you can hold out for your neuro-ophth visit, or at lease get in to see an ophthalmologist for a proper eye exam.

          Comment


            #6
            I hear you Reg--I'm seeing a neuro-opthamologist for a full eye work up at the end of the month. I'm seeing my NEW MS specialist next month to discuss my treatment plan (not for my eye issues.)

            I have had to do impatient steroids for transverse myelitis, also for a brain stem lesion that was causing SVT and blood pressure spikes and valleys...YUK!! I was worried this double vision is a new lesion forming as my scalp/face has been numb/burning like it does before a TN attack. But, it's been 3 weeks and so far no other issues so I'm waiting to see the eye doc.

            As an aside, I'm really happy to have gotten into the queue to see my new Neuro as he is very experienced and specializes in atypical MS, transverse myelitis sequele, and neuropathic pain (since I have bilateral TN etc.)
            RRMS 2011, Copaxone 2011-2013, Tecfidera 2013-current

            Comment


              #7
              Double vision

              Originally posted by KateA2 View Post
              Hi fellow MS'rs

              I've recently noticed I have, what I can only describe as "ghostly" double vision. For example, I am staring at a car's headlights--and right underneath the headlights are an exact duplicate, but not as bright. Same thing with road signs, billboard text, etc. it is terrible at night, very distracting, so my husband drives.

              It is most apparent with lights or kit objects, text, reflective surfaces, and objects with clearly-defined borders (I.e., tree branches, etc. don't bother me.) it is also much worse if I am tired. It is more severe if I look up, rather than down.

              Funny thing is, if I slightly cross my eyes, just a hair, it goes away! I've been getting headaches from serious eye-strain, and more migraines than usual. I work mainly on a computer as a visual artist/designer, so this is really draining.

              I have an appointment with a neuro-ophthalmologist for a complete work up at the end of the month...but not because of this. I made the appointment in late November as I haven't had my eyes checked in over a decade (got LASIK at 20, hmm, exactly 20 years ago now!) I figure I'll just deal with it when I go in...the apt. is a 3-4 hour one.

              Anyone have similar issues?


              Hi, I am having double vision which seems to be with letters. I went to the optomologist, and he said that it should correct itself, my neurologist agreed. I hope it goes away soon, I have had it for a few weeks now. It's making my eyes strain, feel nauseous, woozy, it's horrible. Light bothers me too, and I have worse motion sickness when someone else drives. The only relief I have is to close my eyes. I will repost if and when it corrects itself.
              Oh .....the optomologist suggested putting a prism on my left eyeglass lens. It did help, but I want to see if it corrects itself.
              Pray that it corrects itself for anyone that has it. Please post any corrective things that help any of you.
              Thanks and God Blesx

              Comment


                #8
                Double vision teatment

                I have permanent double vision on my left side. It's pretty extreme as I see clearly two of everything to my left. It is truly disorienting and probably more the cause of my falls than anything. I've found that I look at the ground when walking or when I'm near something that is moving to minimize my vision field. If I look up and allow moving things on the left side I get motion sick or disoriented. Last week my opthamologist put me in glasses with prisms in both lenses. Although he said it will take several weeks to become accustomed to them, I see improvement already. They tire me as they seem to force my eyes to focus every time I move them but I'm hoping that will get better after I've become more accustomed. The double vision isn't gone but it's moved farther to the left so it doesn't impede my normal forward vision. This could be truly life changing!!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Convergence insufficiency

                  I had almost the exact same problem, it gave me head aches and was super distracting at Church when the speakers would have a second, ghost one, on top of them.

                  The Doctor I went to was recommended by many of my friends families for treating eye tracking and reading problems. He dx me with convergence insufficientcy. He explained that vertical double vision is usually seen in patients who suffered a concussion or head injury. Although he didn't know how well I would respond to eye exercises, we went forward and thankfully my double vision is gone but I still get headaches if I read fine print too long.
                  Gatitude can transform common days into Thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." - William Arthur Ward.

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