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Double Vision after Neurosurgery

by lefthanded, Oct 10, 2009 12:42PM
I'm a 37 yr old female 6 weeks out from neurosurgery to remove a astrocytoma in my right temporal lobe, involving the uncus and part of the hippocampus. Recovering well from the crani, aside from Double vision. Have had the double vision since just following the surgery, however, it has improved somewhat in that I am now able to hold my head in positions to create single vision. Those positions are angled to the left, or directly straight ahead. Any movement of my head tilted to the right, or glancing down causes double vision. The double image I see is below and on an angle to the correct image. If I close one eye (either), double vision goes away.  I also have noticed pain along the center occular orbit just below my eyebrow, which feels like muscle strain, most noticable at the end of the day when my eyes feel tired

My neurosurgeon says that this is a result of a stretching of the 3rd nerve during the surgery, and should resolve over time.
My neurologist thinks it sounds like more of a 4th nerve issue and also thinks it will resolve. And I most recently saw a neuro opthomologist who told me it is unlikely to resolve at all, and offered no suggestions for fixing this problem aside from surgery (not sooner than 6 months down the line). .  Needless to say I'm not eager to have any additional surgery.
Aside from the vision I feel almost ready to return to work, which is essential for me, not only financially, but also emotionally. There must be something I can do, or wear, to alleviate this problem. Please help,
Member Comments (1)

by caregiver222, Oct 10, 2009 01:12PM
These conditions generally resolve on their own within three months. The drill is to wear an eye patch over the affected eye. You don't want to wear the patch 24/7, and every so often let light get to the eye, because if there is no stimulation to an eye for a long period, the neural connections tend to atrophy. Make sure you purchase a "stiff" patch that will not press tightly against the eye. Some patches press on the eyeball. Pain is common and usually relieved by ibuprufin (motrin).  Narcotics are contraindicated. Sub-lingual B-12 with folic acid and alpha-lipoic acid supplements are sometimes recommended, but evidence that this helps is up in the air. You are not helping things by keeping both eyes open, which will only lead to strain and eye pain.
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