Several Problems With Eyes

[HelpMyEyesPlease]

Firstly, hello, I'm 17 and I'm hoping you can help me with a few problems with my eyes. I've been reading through the forums, but haven't found a comprehensive answer to my questions (although I am gaining a better understanding of a few things now). Thank you in advance for any help - it will be muchly appreciated.

1) As long as I can remember I have experienced double vision. For example, if I want to look up and to the right at the same time (so diagonally top right) my right eye will succeed in moving to the correct top, right position. However, my left eye seems weaker and will tend to drift only to the right as if it doesn't have enough strength to move the same amount as the right eye. If I cover my right eye up, I am able to move my left eye into the right position. The trouble is moving both eyes simultaeneously. Hopefully someone will understand this jumble, and what I'm trying to say! I wondered if I wore a patch over my right eye for several hours a day, would the muscle for my left eye strengthen and become balanced? This is not a problem that stops me doing anything I want to do, just an annoyance, by blinking I can correct the problem.

2) The next problem I can remember knowing of, from about 5 - 10 years ago, possibly longer. It is quite hard to explain, but if you imagine seeing a clear picture, and then towards the top third of that picture there is a small circle - I would compare it to a cell, in that you can see an outer ring, a "nucleus" and then the cytoplasm looks like a jelly. There is a trail of this cell veritcally down about a third of my vision. If I was to diagnose this, I would say it looks like a bright light has been shone at one point of my eye, and then quickly shone down in a straight line. I have no recollection of having a bright light shone in my eye other than at the doctor's. This is not a big problem in terms of my daily life, but it would be nice to know what it is.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

It sounds like a floater however when you go in to see a Eye MD strabismus specialist mention it to him or her. Ask they do a amsler grid test on your eyes.

JCH MD

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

FIRST PROBLEM: there are six muscles on each eye that move the eye in different directions for a total of 12 muscles. When you look up and right you are using the right superior rectus and the left inferior oblique. Your description would be compatible with a LSO palsy.  You should see an ophthalmologist, ideally a strabismus specialist (find one at www.aao.org) to confirm this. It will likely not need any treatment.

SECOND PROBLEM: Your description is compatible with a vitreous floater. Use the searach feature and read previous posts then go to Google IMAGES and search vitreous floaters to see what they look like

JCH MD

[HelpMyEyesPlease]

Thank you very much for your reply.

Thank you for your advice regarding the first problem, I will try to book an appointment with the specialists you have suggested.

Spot on with the second problem - is this similar to an ordinary floater in terms of just being able to leave it alone?

[HelpMyEyesPlease]

3) This is similar to the point number 2, however much different at the same time. I believe this is a "floater" from browsing the web. It appeared about a year ago, and it is a sort of shadow on my right eye. This is more of a problem than point 2 because it is black in colour, so is more visible when I am just looking around.

Extra information is that I have been wearing contact lenses for about 6 months, and glasses for about a year before that.

Thank you so, so much for your time, I would love to solve these problems!