Diplopia Treatment

Diplopia, commonly known as double vision, is a condition where an individual sees two images of a single object either some or all of the time.

Double vision often results in unclear or overlapping images, that is easily mistaken and frequently described as “blurry” or “ghosty” vision. The double vision may be noticed only when looking at certain directions or distances (e.g. near or far), or experienced only when fatigued.

Diplopia can have several functional consequences depending on its cause and severity. Double vision can cause visual confusion, impaired depth perception, reduced visual clarity, loss of balance, reduced coordination (e.g. eye-hand), headaches and eyestrain. Diplopia can significantly impair daily activities and quality of life.

Diplopia can occur in one or both eyes and can be caused by various underlying issues affecting the eye muscles, nerves or brain. Double vision can be related to weak eye muscles (e.g. due to nerve damage, trauma or disease like hyperthyroidism), damaged nerves that control the eye muscles (e.g. due to diabetes, multiple sclerosis, brain tumour or trauma), refractive errors (e.g. uncorrected or improperly corrected astigmatism), eye conditions (e.g. cataracts, keratoconus), trauma (e.g. to head, eye or brain), and health conditions affecting the brain (e.g. stroke, aneurysm or tumour).

Treatment of diplopia depends on its underlying cause. Common optometric approaches include using corrective lenses to correct underlying refractive conditions, prism glasses to help align the two eyes, and vision therapy exercises to help improve eye muscle coordination and stamina. Common medical approaches include treatment of the underlying condition (e.g. thyroid, brain tumour), and Botox injections or surgery to help correct eye misalignment.

It’s crucial that anyone experiencing double vision seek medical evaluation promptly to minimize the risk of long-term complications.