Double vision anyone?

Eye care
1

Hey guys, I'm 25 in the UK, I started having double vision around two weeks ago. If I cover either of my eyes one at a time, then I can see straight.

I went to the opticians because I thought that I might need glasses, but I have 20/20 vision, but she saw blurred optic disks so referred me to the hospital.

There I had scans on my eyes, had them dilated, field tests, and the doctor came said he can't see anything wrong, although he said there was a tiny swelling on my left optic nerve but he stressed that it was nothing to worry about - no brain tumour or palsy etc.

So I was referred back to my doctors where I had blood tests - they were the general blood work, and I also pushed for a lymes disease test which hasn't come back yet. I read stories online here in the UK regarding lymes, and the tests coming back false negative, which I'm worried about.

Ive been referred for a Head and orbit mri in a couple of weeks, but I'm moving next Wednesday so will have to ring and see if my new area can book me in.

Here are some other symptoms I've been having -

Double vision

Awful headaches for a month, and 4 days of amped up pain prompted me to go for the eye test at the opticians.

Whoosh Whoosh in my ears, tinnitus?

Neck pain and stiffness, where the headache usually originates from.

Pain under my earlobe near my jaw, sometimes pain all down my right side of my face over the temple/ear area (not cheek or nose etc)

And that's about it so far.

Ive always had problems with my beck hurting, tense neck muscles, or when im standing for too long it hurts. Could I have spinal fluid leaking? Or a herniated disk pressing on my optical nerve? Would the eye doctor have been able to see any pinching when he scanned/looked at my eyes?

And should I mention when I call to change my mri appointment about my neck, and possibly get them to scan the top part of my neck? I don't know why they didn't think it was an issue when I told them that the headaches were originating from my neck, surely they would have thought okay let's do the head mri and the neck too, or even the whole spine incase there's something lurking around there.

This whole double vision thing has really thrown my life off track, it's very hard to cope with it - I can't go out because it just gets too much to see, and I can't watch TV or read properly - very stressful, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Really have taken my vision for granted. I'm young and haven't had any serious medical issues before, I've got so many plans for my future but now it seems to be ruined by my vision, what if I never see straight again? The thought scares me, and although I'm grateful for nothing major coming up on my tests yet, having no diagnosis and treatment plan is pretty stressful also.

Would love to hear some experiences of you guys with similar symptoms, if you got better, or what you were diagnosed with!

Thanks for reading and your replies!

2

Hi, sorry about all you problems.  I have just one suggestion that is to see a Naturopath.  They tend to look for causes not just treating symptoms.  In Canada a Naturopath has to have  degree in science followed by four years of further training.  It's not that I am dismissing mainstream medical treatment, only that in my own situation I have used it as a complement.  They do really drill down to the essence of the problem and fix that, resulting in many of the symptoms disappearing.  They use natural medicines that strengthen your whole system and, as well, get you thinking from another perspective.  I hope this is helpful and that you conintue to see a resolution on the hoizon.

3

I would mention the neck,might want to do mri of cervical spine.most disc probles dont just show up on xray. Doesnt hurt to ask.

4

Sorry to hear about your double vision, in the past 6 months I had double vision too, and now recently been declared legally blind as I also had nystagmus, from birth which my consultant from the eye hospital said. I have been told they don't know why I am blind in my left eye, but still have pupil reaction, but still can't see nothing. I am waiting for a MRI scan just like you had, but my sight has deterated over the past few weeks and I have been told it a neurology ophthalmology problem and needs a special consultant to check if my thyroid isn't not the cause or the stroke I had in 2012, I hope you are sorted soon, go to gp and ask for vertigo tablets they help with the symptoms

5

I would think swelling of optic nerve could cause double vision? I would ask much more about that!!

6

I would see if you could get an eye patch, wear it on the worse effected eye, double vision is usually a sign of something is wrong, with the eyes at the back, so I was told. I wouldn't cancel the MRI, I would attend seeing it is very hard to get another.

Hope you receive a proper diagnosis sooner

7

I would think swelling of an optic nerve could caus double vision. I have problems with my eyes also which i find very unnerveing

8

Thanks for all your replies

I went for an MRI yesterday on my brain and orbits. The results should be back within two weeks, so hopefully I will be able to scratch some nasties off of the cause list.

I've still got terrible double vision, it's binocular which means I can shut one eye and see straight. So far my blood tests have come back fine - general bloodwork which included thyroid, liver kidney function, inflammation etc, and lymes disease which came back negative.

With regards to the lymes, I've made a post in the lymes disease group on here to further investigate if any of my symptoms could be related.

I also suspect iih, which I have posted in the support group here also.

I will keep this thread updated as I go about my journey getting to the bottom of this so as to help anyone that might have stumbled across my threads and need some support.

9

Hey Sambo,

Just checking in to say I can relate. I'm also young (30) and have delayed syncing of my vision and double vision when I look in certain directions laterally. I'm about to graduate from a school with a degree in Chinese medicine in the States (so I'll be an acupuncturist!). For various reasons relating to my personal circumstances, I've decided not to get diagnosed until after I graduate. My situation is accompanied by other neurological signs like resting tremors for the past 2 years, so different from yours. Though similar in the respect that if I cover one eye, I don't have issues with double vision.

I've taken quite a few western medical classes as a part of my degree and my undergraduate classes were also focused in bio med. So a few thoughts popped into mind: usually when you cover an eye and the resulting image is fine, it can be related to a central nervous system problem/issue in the brain as opposed to the structure of the eye. This can be from lesions associated with neurological conditions, injury, etc. Rarely, double vision can also result from B vitamin deficiencies.

I would not ignore the headaches and the whooshing sound (that sounds more like a circulatory issue, as tinnitus is usually a high or low pitched buzzing). Malformations or blockages of the vessels in the brain can also result in visual abnormalities. Sometimes there can be a tumor in the brain that increases pressure, especially pituitary tumors. These can place pressure on the pathways of the optic nerve or other vascular structures. Usually warning signs of brain tumors are morning headaches that become persistent and get increasingly worse instead of better as time goes on, nausea, etc. I'm not saying this is your issue, just that if I were your doctor I would not dismiss it. I'm glad you got the scans done.

In any case, I am rooting for your recovery and curious to hear about the results. In clinic, I have treated many patients with visual problems using Chinese medicine and acupuncture. There are some great scalp points (that unfortunately I can't needle on myself!) and herbal formulas that can benefit vision. So you may want to consider alternative medicine as well.

There's a great book called Eye Yoga by Dr. Jane Rigney Battenberg and another that I liked titled Healing Your Eyes with Chinese Medicine by Andy Rosenfarb. Very interesting exercises and discussion about vision from people who have helped others recover from a wide array of eye problems.

I hope to focus more on my own situation in the near future. I'll be crossing my fingers for the both of us! Good luck to you.

10

Thanks so much for your replies!

Had the mri scan done, and rang the doctors today and the lady confirmed that nothing abnormal came up on the mri scan, which is great news! No tumour!

However I am under the impression that specialists will check the mri? For example in my case, an eye specialist and a neuro specialist? As mri's can be misread? Or is that not a thing?

I'm being booked in to see an eye specialist again - I recently moved so need a new specialist and it's definitely worth getting a fresh set of eyes to check me over!

As for tinnitus, I do have a constant high pitched ringing in my ears when my surroundings are quiet, but I've had that for as long as I can remember. I will mention it to my specialist?

I'm definitely suspecting iih, just a little hunch in my gut. I will mention it to the specialist and hopefully get a referral.

Though I am grateful and happy I don't have a tumour, I still do not have a diagnosis! And I'm still seeing double, and having several bouts of headaches a week. And I'm ever anxious of them misreading and missing something on the mri, like a tiny bleed or something.

Also, upon waking, for the first half an hour of my day I can *almost* see straight...its a very nice feeling. But as the day progresses, it just goes back to normal double vision. It's mostly things that are far away and moving, like TV or a chimney in the distance, birds, stars, my dog running in the garden, or people (who have two heads) in a supermarket, things like that. And sometimes things closer get doubled, if I'm having a bad vision day. But I'm in my room at the moment and there's a plug on the wall, and I can see only one, and the doorknob, only one, phone screen with letters only one. I will mention this all to my specialist. It's a brand new specialist so I'm just gonna go to town with my descriptions.

I've also been keeping a symptom diary, one thing that has started to happen is, you know when youre about to faint and your eyes go all spotty and black round the edges? That happens to be quite a bit, if I move over in bed, rub my eyes, or stand up too quickly. Sometimes I feel like I could faint, but the majority of the time it's just the visual sensation! Weird?

Will keep you all updated, thanks again for you all taking the time to help me and reply!

11

If i remember correctly you had some optic nerve swelling? I still think its that,maybe its getting better because the swelling is going down. I imagine any vision disturbance could caus a headache. As for the strange feelings,ever have low blood pressure? Glad your test went well. You might have something that will just correct itself,please keep posted.

12

I've had my blood pressure taken every time I've been with my GP and it's always been normal!

Yeah I had optic nerve swelling, both times a eye specialist looked at my eye scans they said it was very small swelling, and not to worry, but obviously it's something to worry about because every day I can't see properly.

Maybe when I go and see my new specialist they will require to take fresh scans of my eyes, so we will see what happens. Should be getting a letter confirming my appointment by the end of the week or early next week. I expect I'll have to wait a week or two to be seen, but we shall see. So far my new area has proven to be quick and efficient with their care, fingers crossed!

13

Hiya I'm also getting blurred vision which is very frustrating especially when im watching TV or cooking a meal have horrendous pain in my head too all since my lumbar puncture last year and keep being fobbed off from one to the other had various tests mri showed a bulging disc and nerve conduction test afta my first ever plane trip laSt year and my lp I had a blind spot in my right eye getting no answers is so frustrating I'm 52 and my mother had cataracts

14

Did your symptoms resolve themselves or was the mystery solved? I'm having the same exact symptoms and haven't gotten any answers from the medical arena. I'd love to know if you figured it out?

15

My stroke caused my blind spot and blurring of vision I've neva had any answers but with my aphasia and cognitive problems and weakness they know it's not all in my head

16

Hi,

I am currently going through the same, it began 4 months ago. I had terrible headaches from the double vision but they have improved since wearing an eye patch.

I was diagnosed with third nerve palsy, which they later confirmed was incorrect and now it is looming increasing likely to be myasthenia but this has yet to be confirmed as all my results are coming back normal.

My eyes won't work together but work individually, although I do now have balance problems and struggle to go out in public.

So far... I have had 2x CT, 2x MRI, Lumbar puncture, & a number of blood tests. Still no closer to answers.

I will be honest and say I am have some strange thoughts about wanting to end my life which is totally out of character for me. I have been a positive person all my life but this has disabled me over night with no cause. Oh and to add insult to injury my employer has now decided they want me to leave (Basically trying sacking me because of my illness) after 4 years with them and not a single sick day till this. I am 32 and have a 5 month old child.

I know this doesn't help you but if I get any results Il be sure to update you. Hope you have recovered by now.

Any updates? Thank you

17

I'm so sorry to hear of you eye problems. I also had double vision caused by Tamoxifen. It was becoming debilitating and like you I was desperate for a cure. Only be accident I found out that it was caused by the Tamoxifen. It took only 12 days after going off it for my vision to go back to normal ( I was on it for exactly 2 years). I live in Boston and went to the Dana Farber - but no one there even suggested that the Tamoxifen could be the problem - they even went as far as saying that it most likely wasn't the Tamoxifen when I told them I was going to stop taking it. Tamoxifen is a terrible drug that also caused cognitive problems for me and should not be dispensed like jelly beans. I really hope your eye problems have cleared up for you.

18

Did you ever find out what is going on? I have been living with this about 2 years now. I drive with one eye closed constantly! No headaches but just the double vision far away. Please tell me what they found. 

19

I haven't resolved this yet, but discovered in my case I'm heavy metal poisoned. I plan on detoxing a bit first before trying the Andrew Cutler chelation protocol (IV chelation is not safe). I think heavy metals are a big contributor in a lot of neurological conditions. You may want to check out the book Amalgam Illness and learn more about it in case it helps.

20

I also had double vision . My optician added a prism correction to my glasses . I was also referred to the hospital & the consultant advised I had a muscle convergence in my eyes . I was gonna vdnnexcercise to do to try to strengthen the muscles . I have since had refractive corrective lens replacement done & the double vision has now disappeared. I opted to have surgery as I had early signs of cataract in both eyes & wanted to be glasses free . Due to a complications with the retina on my right eye I had minofocal lenses implanted so need to use glasses for close reading .