Vertical Double Vision - Someone help please

[boomandvibe]

  I am a 20 year old male. I am having a hard time everyday just seeing because I see doubles of everything. When I look at a text, for example--A B 1 2 3, it looks like this:

A B 1 2 3
A B 1 2 3

  One image is on top of the other. This is very uncomfortable for me and I can't read books without squinting my eyes to hide the top image.

  I've visited two eye doctors. They both specialized in vision and they had their own clinics. However, they could not tell me what was wrong with my eyes.

  I am planning to visit some other doctors but I've read some posts by others who took all kinds of examinations but couldn't find the solution. I don't have medical insurance and I don't want to waste too much money.
  So I'm just posting here if anyone knows about this problem.

  Some information about me you should know is:

- I've been wearing soft contacts for astigmatism for five years.

- I'm on computer most of the time. (I've head something about Computer Vision Syndrome. I dont know if I'm related to it.)

- I've hit my head hard with a blunt object and I was rushed to ER because I was bleeding so much. This was about 9 months ago.

-Double vision goes away when I look through a pinhole on a paper or when I squint.

-Double vision is sometimes goes away. But it's there most of the time.

-Double vision is there even when I wear glasses. (And this prescription is confirmed by the two eye doctors.)

Where should I go and how can I fix this?

Thank you for your time.

[CBIsraeloffOD]

You may be suffering from a binocular vision problem which is often not found on examination. Look into someone who treats vertical heterophoria.

[bellily]

i wonder if you have found a resolution to this.
i'm in the same boat; and very frustrated by the response from ophthalmologists, who are dismissive and thinking this is dry eye.  googling it (squinting to make the ghosting disappear) leads me in scary directions...

if this thread is still alive, if anyone is reading, i'm at my wit's end with this.
it's been going on for about 2 years and really complicates my life.
i'm a creative, so working is hard and impossible many days.
driving is out often, night driving is not an option (the halos and streaks are too big and cover too much of my visual field).
i don't wear contacts, do were glasses (i'm far sighted, plus astigmatism, progressive lenses).
my left eye is legally blind, so everything is riding on the right one, and that's where the problem is.  
light sensitivity is part of it as well, plus some general blurriness.
i have maybe 1 day a week that's not too bad, the rest is ghosted and blurry.

i have been doing all the recommended/rx'd things for dry eye: compresses, lid cleaning, drops, omega 3 supplements, etc, all without result.  actually i wonder if these things are making it worses.

any help would be appreciated.

[Gramian]

Hello,

I'm having the same thing. For now it only neems on white letters on black background and also lights. It's on both eyes, doesn't matter if I open both or close each one. I had my eyes checked in fall but didn't have this. I am having other problems with my eye (irritated) and am using allergy drops. I had mild Blefaritis and anpther said my problems were probably allergies. I hadn't had this before I only noticed it few days ago. Can the allergies cause this? Should I be worried. I also have a tense neck, headaches and other problems for a while like you can see in my other posts.

Thanks.

[mha99]

I had double vision and no ophthalmologist or optometrist or neurologist found anything.
I've also had tunnel vision.
A few visits to a chiropractor got rid of both  and 40+ other symptoms.

See if you can see one in  Chiropractic Neurology - look that up.  They also help autism, add, dyslexia, etc.
Or if not a chiropractor with applied kineseology.

Good luck!!

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

spinal injury is not the cause of this. The most common cause would be a traumatic 4th cranial nerve paralysis or paresis (weakness). I would suggest you see a neuro-ophthalmologist or a Eye MD that does eye muscle problems (strabismus) they are called Pediatric ophthalmologists. If you live in USA you can find one near you at www.geteyesmart.org
JCH MD

[Synchromic]

Hi

I have had a serious car accident and afterwards have had intermittent ( daily) epoisides of double vision (verticals). It is triggered mostly when I look at an iPhone. The issue does not go away in a few minutes - it lasts for hours and is inconsistent with each eye. Sometimes one eye is upper double, the other eye lower. One eye sometimes worse tha. The other and lately even triple and quadruple vision like bands of threads when I look at overhead wires.

I have seen an ophthalmologist and my eyes seemed to Test fine - though at the time I was a- symptomatic. Since then I have been tracking the symptoms. I have trouble looking at the moon for long so I am not sure if the vision test was conclusive.

There are differing opinions  as well that is is related to spinal injury with bilateral pressure on my brain stem or due to traumatic brain injury. I look down when on the iPhone so I am trying to stop that to see if it is the physical gesture or the actual viewing. I am wondering of there are any other cases like this and anything you can hell direct me to for diagnosis and treatment.

I am an artist and this is freaking me out as it is getting progressively worse. I spend a lot of time on the computer and devices and not sure how to avoid these in the world we live in if I am to get back to work - let alone even do the tasks associated with discovery of symptoms.

I welcome your opinion!

Thanks!!

[Synchromic]

Hi

I have had a serious car accident and afterwards have had intermittent ( daily) epoisides of double vision (verticals). It is triggered mostly when I look at an iPhone. The issue does not go away in a few minutes - it lasts for hours and is inconsistent with each eye. Sometimes one eye is upper double, the other eye lower. One eye sometimes worse tha. The other and lately even triple and quadruple vision like bands of threads when I look at overhead wires.

I have seen an ophthalmologist and my eyes seemed to r
Test fine - though at the time I was a- symptomatic. Since then I have been tracking the symptoms. I have trouble looking at the moon for long so I am not sure if the vision test was conclusive.

There are differing opinions  as well that is is related to spinal injury with bilateral pressure on my brain stem or due to traumatic brain injury. I look down when on the iPhone so I am trying to stop that to see if it is the physical gesture or the actual viewing. I am wondering of there are any other cases like this and anything you can hell direct me to for diagnosis and treatment.

I am an artist and this is freaking me out as it is getting progressively worse. I spend a lot of time on the computer and devices and not sure how to avoid these in the world we live in it I am to get back to work - let alone even do the tasks associated with discovery of symptoms.

I welcome your opinion!

Thanks!!

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

Having the condition for 44 years its not likely progressive, not serious and likely not need any treatment. IF you want to pursue a work up I suggest you see a neuroophthalmologist. Find one at www.aao.org

JCH MD

[doublelight]

I have similar condition to Boom who you responded. The difference is i see double as light to dark depending what is above. With letters i will see verticle double with the second reflection light grey in color and having a smear affect blending back to the original image. If the image is close or big, it will overlap. This condition is magnafied at night with colors. The farther the object, the more seperated the image. Comes together as i get closer. I have known this since i was 13 years of age and am 47 now. Did the doctor visits and was seen by three all doing the same test and had no idea. I was scheduled to another and gave up and cancealed. My vision is 20-15 and have no headaces. I am concern now because this condition is causing street signs to double letters and becomes scrambled if there is two rows of words. Your feed back would be appreciated if i am to persue and know what questions to ask before paying my fees.
Thank You

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

If you have your glasses or contacts on and you see double with both eyes but if you cover or shut one eye the doubling goes away then that is true double vision.

HOWEVER if you cover one eye and still see the doubling then that is not true double vision but monocular diplopia or "ghosting".

The first type is due to eye muscle problems and you should see a pediatric/strabisums Eye MD.

The latter in your case is likely due to warping of the cornea due to your contacts and you should see a cornea specialist Eye MD.  You likely will need to stop wearing contacts for a couple of months to let the cornea return to a normal shape from the warpage the contact can and often do cause.

JCH MD