Diplopia or double vision, what causes it?

Almost all visual disturbances begin with blurred or shadowed vision complaints. In fact, some of the cases could be double vision or diplopia. Although sometimes similar, this double vision disorder is different from blurred or shadowed vision which is a common symptom of nearsighted eyes or refractive errors.

What is diplopia or double vision?

Diplopia is a vision disorder that causes the eye to see the same two images of one object. This condition is also known as double vision. The two images usually appear to be overlapping or side by side with each other.

Double vision can be temporary, but there are also conditions that cause diplopia to be long-term or even permanent. This depends on the conditions causing the diplopia.

In mild diplopia, the patient's vision can immediately improve if the patient directs the object toward or away from his face. Likewise, when squinting or adding light in the room.

What causes double vision?

Reporting from the NHS, double vision occurs when there is interference or damage to the nerves and muscles of the eye. The reason is, both nerves and muscles play a role in moving the eye so that they can see objects clearly.

Diplopia can only occur in one eye (monocular) or both eyes (binocular). These two conditions have different causes ranging from refractive errors to diseases that attack the nerves or muscles of the eye.

Double vision in one eye

Most cases of monocular diplopia are caused by refractive errors or light habituation of the retina, such as abnormalities of the cornea or macula (center of vision).

Several conditions that can cause monocular diplopia include:

• Astigmatism (cylinder eye)
• Keratoconus
• Pterygium
• Cataract
• Lens dislocation
• Swollen eyelids
• Dry eyes
• There is a problem in the retina

Double vision in both eyes

Binocular diplopia is generally caused by disorders of the eyeball muscles or the nerves in the eyeball muscles. Several conditions that can cause binocular diplopia include:

• Cockeye
• Damage to nerves
• Eye complications of diabetes
• Myasthenia gravis
• Graves' disease
• Trauma to the eye muscles

Is this the same condition as shadow vision?

Double vision is not the same as blurry or shadowed vision. Shadowed vision occurs when the object you are observing is indistinct, usually influenced by distance.

In myopia or nearsightedness, when you see a billboard on the street you can see the shape of the board but can't distinguish the picture or read the written words clearly.

In another case with double view, the object you are observing is seen as two twin objects. When you look at the billboard, what you see are two identical billboards that are stacked on top of each other. Of course, this condition makes it difficult for you to read the writing clearly on the board.

Based on one or two affected eyes, double vision can occur only when only one eye is open or when both eyes are open simultaneously.

How to deal with double vision

Double vision caused by fatigue, alcohol consumption, or side effects of drugs usually lasts only for a short time.

However, treatment for permanent diplopia can vary depending on the type and severity of the disease causing it.

Monocular double vision can improve with insertion pinhole (eye patch with 1 hole in the middle).

This method needs to be done for some time until the vision improves. Instead, consult an ophthalmologist about using the appropriate eye patch to treat diplopia.

Meanwhile, diplopia caused by refractive errors such as cylindrical eyes can be treated with glasses, contact lenses, and LASIK surgery.

Vision disorders that involve problems with the eye's nervous system will require more complicated examinations and treatment, depending on the cause.

That is why you need regular eye health checks at least once a year and immediately consult a doctor when vision problems begin to help detect the cause of diplopia early.