Vertical double vision in both eyes

[lvmcgee]

I have been experiencing double vision for a while now, but I'm not sure when it began. Maybe since 2011? It's never really been that much of a nuisance. I only really started noticing it when my face would hurt from squinting so hard at the TV. Then I realized one day that it could be double vision. I had always thought that double vision was seeing things as though one was cross-eyed. My vision isn't like that, though. Mine is vertical, it's in both eyes, and it gets better as I get closer to what I am looking at and when I squint (sometimes, though, squinting makes it worse when my eyes are watery).

My alarm clock, for example, from far away is still readable but the numbers are slightly and faintly underneath themselves. When I get closer to it, like when I'm setting it, it's as clear as can be. Another example is street lights at night. They're the worst. They look like one light on top of the other. Same thing with headlights on cars. And any other light at night for that matter. But it doesn't have to be at night, though. Also, if I really focus on my double vision, I notice that some things are tripled. Just thought I shouldn't exclude that.

Like I said, it hasn't really been a nuisance up until I looked it up and started over-obsessing about it a couple days ago. Now it's all I notice. I can't tell if it is getting worse or if I am just focusing on it too much. I can still see things and read things. I am not having headaches. Nothing like that. I going to have my eyes checked soon. I just wanted to post here for other opinions. Thanks in advance for any help.

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

Your symptoms sound like a refractive error, especially since you need to squint to see better.  Have a complete eye exam with a refraction.  If you have and true double vision while wearing the prescribed glasses, then I would see an ophthalmologist.  True diplopia (double vision) occurs with both eyes open, but goes away with EITHER eye closed.

[lvmcgee]

Thank you so much for your reply. I did what you recommended and my symptoms do improve indeed. I don't even remember the last time I saw so clearly. So, thanks again for your reply.

[AquilaRising]

It sounds like you may be a little myopic, or nearsighted.  I had almost exactly the same symptoms since age 16, but didn't get diagnosed until age 21.  I've been prescribed eyeglasses but I hardly ever wear them.  I remember seeing faint copies of street lights hovering just above the actual street lights and a ghostly double of the readout on my alarm clock.  You should try to do a pinhole test to rule out a neurological problem (which, in your case, is highly unlikely.)

Just poke a hole about 2mm wide in an index card and look through it with each eye the next time you noticed the ghosted or double vision.  If your symptoms improve, you have a refractive error.

It's good that you're going to the eye doctor. They'll probably give you glasses.

Take care.