Floaters and "Double Vision"

Posted by Laura Likeman on August 03, 1999 at 21:04:23
Hi,
I have had floaters for about 2 years, have seen an ophthamologist, and was told not to worry. Recently, though, I have started seeing many flashes, and more floaters have appeared. What really worries me is that I am starting to experience something that I can only call double vision, even though it is in each eye individually. I see a clear but faint image of whatever object I'm looking at, floating directly above the object. Sometimes it is worse in one eye, sometimes in the other. It's there all the time, but only shows up clearly when I'm looking at something with high contrast, like black letters on white paper, neon signs at night, etc. With close objects, the image only sticks up about 1mm above the object, but when it is more than a few meters away, the image floats above the object. I can read the letters on distant street signs in the air above the actual sign.
I went back to my ophthamologist, who referred me to a retina specialist, but neither could find any retina problems, and they didn't seem to take the double vision too seriously. I would like to be well armed with information when I go back to see the ophthamologist. Have you come across anything like this before? Do you think the double vision is connected with the floaters? I am 24, and have had 20/20 vision until now. Everything is still clear, only double.
Laura  

Posted by hfhs md ke on August 03, 1999 at 22:47:40
laura-
first of all "floaters" do not typically go away, contrary to what most people think. your brain simply learns to "tune" them out. second of all, u are describing monocular diplopia ( double vision in one eye at a time ) and this is actually much less concerning then binocular diplopia ( double vision with both eyes open )  binocular diplopia can be due to serious things such as strokes.  monocular diplopia is typically due to one of 3 things : a refractive error ( need for glasses ), a cataract, or something in the visual axis, such as floaters.  your ophthalmologist should be able to give an educated opinion about which cause may be to blame in your case.   good luck.