Seeing Double

[slightlybroken]

I've had double vision since December of 07'. I've had blurred vision in the left eye as well. My eye sight was 20/20 because I had LASIK back in 2004. I was literally blind as a bat as my doctor would say. I went to an opthamalogist yesterday to find out what the problem was since it seemed like the double vision was getting worse. With all the other symptoms I've been having I wasn't sure if they are related or not and I'm not currently DX with anything (limbo).

He performed a peripheral test, tested my pressures, and dilated my eyes to look at my optical nerve. The good news is that from what he could see, the optical nerve looked good. My pressures were a little high in my eyes (I've always had this problem). He wants to re-check me in 6 months.

He also noticed that the left eye would not react as fast to light as the right. When I asked him what is causing my double vision, he thought that the muscle are weak in the eye and not lineing up correctly causing the vision problem. He said it was a classic sign of MS and that the problem might not go away on it's own until I'm put on MS meds. I told him that's going to hard to do since I can't find a neuro to DX me with anything let alone MS. He also stated that I could have lesions deep in the brain that is currently causing my vision problems and that I needed another current MRI on a good machine.

I have an appointment in April with a different neuro (my 2nd). Has anybody had this problem with double vision? Did it go away on it's own? I haven't been driving because of it and because of leg numbness and it's becoming a pain. Another weird thing I noticed is that when they dilated my eyes, I could actually see better out of the left (the bad eye). It was the best I've seen in months out of that eye.

[doublevision1]

I can empathize.  I have horizontal double vision for 6 months.  I was dx'ed with MS about 6 or so weeks later, as MRI showed 2 lesions and LP was elevated.  It was considered my second attack, with the first being Lhermittes in 2006.  Along with the double vision I had multiple symtoms (fatigue, numbness, MS hug, stiff neck, slight unsteadiness).  SoluMedrol treatment in Oct alleviated many of these symptoms but fatigue and double vision persist.  

I have been having my eyes tested monthly by an Orthoptist.  My measurements are slowly improving, and I mean SLOWLY.  It is hard for me to subjectively perceive the improvement but their are times I can tell it is getting better.  There are prism lenses that can make you perceive one image; it doesn't actually cure the underlying problem.  Has anyone talked to you about these?  My measurements are still too high for these to work, but if things keep improving may be an option for me.

I have noticed recently that if I try REALLY hard to focus on an object, I can almost 'force' the images closer together.  It only lasts a second or so and then the two images start to drift apart again.  However I couldn't do this at all before so I'm taking it as a positive sign.  Are you able to do this?

How are you coping?  Are you using an eye patch?  Do you find tilting your head in the direction of your bad eye makes the second image disappear?  This works for me.  I too have not been driving at all.  It is very frustrating to lose your independence like this and I hope you and I both get this back some day.

I recently requested a referral to a neuro-ophthalmologist and am awaiting an appt.  I am not necessarily confident they will be able to do anything more for me, but I would like another opinion re: prognosis and longer term solutions.  I have been told contradicting things about whether surgery might be an option if this doesn't get much better.  

I would go with your dr's recommendation for another MRI.  Mine showed a lesion in my brainstem which is responsible for my double vision.  I would also strongly suggest you see a neuro-ophtha if you can.  In many cases it is this individual who makes the initial MS dx based on the visual symptoms, along with the other corroborating evidence/tests.


Good luck to you.

db1