Ghost images in right eye

[al78]

Trying to figure out what's going on here.  I'm 28 and I've been experiencing ghost visions in my right eye for the better part of the year now, and the glasses don't seem to help much.  I'm seeing a real image, and a distorted, ghost image slightly down and to the right of it.  It's especially noticeable with a silhouette, like a bird in the sky or a traffic light.  Some days it's better and some days it's worse, but at least some distortion is always there.  Far off in the distance, in bright light, it's always there, but when I look at the computer screen, sometimes the ghosting of the letters is there and sometimes it's not.  It's better when I just wake up, worse toward the end of the day.  

I had glasses made about a year ago when I first noticed it, but they didn't help much.  I've finally decided to go to an eye doctor two days ago.  He ruled out cataracts, keratokonus and glaucoma.  Said that I have very slight astigmatism in my eye that wasn't corrected for in the glasses, but he says it's so silght that it is not the cause of the ghost images.  He prescribed Patanol and said to come back in 4 weeks.  So far -- it's been two days -- the eyedrops aren't helping at all.  

Couple of other things: About two months ago, I had a CT scan of the head and a blood test done because I experienced dizziness and nausea.  The cause turned out to be a sinus infection, but no other problems have been turned up.  Also -- and I have no idea whether this has any significance -- the doctor told me I have large pupils.  

Anyway, does anyone have any idea what might be causing the ghosting?  And, if Patanol ends up not helping, what should I ask my doctor about?  Any specific tests I should ask done?  Any specific disorders to test for?

Thanks.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

First if your "eye doctor" is not a physician Eye MD ophthalmologist you are not getting the care your eye deserves. If you are seeing an Optom non MD non physician limited care limited training person leave and see an Eye MD.

Now assuming you are seeing an Eye MD I have no idea why patanol would help as it is a drop for allergy.

You need a corneal topography and a trial fitting of rigid gas permeable contacts to rule out irregular astigmatism as the cause of your problem.

I can't emphasize enough that if you are seeing an "OD" instead of a "MD" then you hae not really been properly examined. You can find an eye MD at www.aao.org

JCH IIIIMD

[Nancy T]

I have similar ghosting (except the ghost image is above the real one) in BOTH eyes separately, and an ophthalmologist and neuro-ophthalmologist weren't able to tell me why. Only that it's a refractive problem, and they gave me some special reading glasses (since it happens after I've been reading continuously for a few minutes while looking down).

Interesting that yours occurs when you're tired. ME TOO--in fact, although normally my ghosting occurs after reading looking down, it will occur spontaneously when I'm very tired (sleep-deprived).

I don't understand why that would be the case if it's a corneal problem.

My opthalmologist also told me that my astigmatism was not sufficient to be causing this problem.

I did not have any tests such as corneal topography.

Good luck getting to the bottom of things, and please let us know what you find out.

I do have various other odd symptoms, was told MS at one point, then told it's not. However, the neurologists never knew about the ghosting thing, since it started after I was through with the neuros (or they were through with me).

Nancy T. (51 years old, ghosting began maybe 5 years ago)

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

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