Double vision - why double vision, how to treat?

Table of contents:

Double vision - why double vision, how to treat?
Double vision - why double vision, how to treat?
Anonim

Double vision: causes and treatment

Double vision
Double vision

Ophthalmologists often hear patients complain that they have double vision. At the same time, a person cannot visualize a clear picture with both eyes. As a result, one object is perceived as two identical. Such a violation causes discomfort and indicates that not everything is in order with the organs of vision. In addition, there may be problems in the functioning of the nervous system.

Double vision is called diplopia. It leads to the fact that a person is hardly oriented in space, cannot correctly calculate the distance to surrounding objects. Other pathological symptoms are dizziness, nausea, eye fatigue. In general, the quality of life of people with double vision is significantly reduced.

Why is seeing double?

Why double vision
Why double vision

Normally, the image from the object is projected onto identical parts of the retina. In the brain, the pictures are processed and merged into one. If the image is projected onto non-identical areas of the retina, then the person will see double.

The cause of the violation is most often organic damage to the oculomotor muscles, or problems with their innervation. The eyeball will be positioned incorrectly, resulting in double vision.

Sometimes the cause of the violation is hidden in the wrong refraction of rays by the optical structures of the eye. A similar situation is observed in diseases of the cornea and lens.

Double vision can be binocular (a person has double vision in 2 eyes when looking at objects), as well as monocular, when double vision is in only one eye.

In some patients, this visual impairment is present on an ongoing basis, and some people suffer from double vision only periodically. In the latter case, alcohol abuse, injuries, and taking medications can lead to pathological changes. Unlike permanent, temporary double vision resolves on its own.

Depending on what exactly caused the split in the eyes, the following types of diplopia can be distinguished:

  • Neuroparalytic diplopia. In this case, double vision develops due to damage to the nerves responsible for eye movement.
  • Strobogenic diplopia develops in people suffering from strabismus.
  • Restrictive diplopia develops with an injury to the orbit with displacement of the eyeball, as well as with infringement of the oculomotor muscles.
  • Oculogenic diplopia develops after surgery on the organs of vision.

Diseases and disorders that can cause double vision:

  • Pathologies in which the muscles responsible for the movement of the organs of vision suffer. These can be diseases such as myasthenia gravis, ocular myositis, Graefe's disease, Graves' disease, etc.
  • Diseases that lead to disruption of the nerve fibers responsible for the movement of the muscles of the eyeball: multiple sclerosis, diabetes, polio, etc.
  • Growing neoplasm in the organ of vision. Moreover, it can have both malignant and benign nature of origin.
  • Eye bruises, orbital abscess, orbital wall injuries.
  • Damage to brain structures: stroke, encephalitis, meningitis, traumatic brain injury. Sometimes people experience double vision during migraine attacks, as well as sharp jumps in blood pressure.
  • Injured optic nerve.
  • Carotid aneurysm.
  • A growing tumor that puts pressure on the optic nerve.
  • Diseases that adversely affect the functioning of the nervous system or the oculomotor muscles. These include: rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, meningitis, botulinum toxin poisoning, etc.
  • Double vision in people with strabismus.
  • May cause double vision in the eyes of thyroid disease.

Sometimes a person has double vision in one eye if he has an anatomically incorrect structure. Injuries with subsequent scarring of the cornea can also lead to double images in the eyes.

People suffering from dry eye syndrome often complain of double vision.

Video: why double vision occurs, the neuropathologist Sergey Fernandez de Rives will tell:

Symptoms of double vision

The picture that a person with double vision sees will vary, depending on the cause of the violation.

If the patient begins to see double when he peers into the distance, then you need to check the condition of the lens. Most often, this problem occurs in people who are used to doing painstaking work, sitting at a computer for a long time and rarely focusing their eyes on distant objects.

If a person has double vision in only one eye, then this may be due to an injury, with astigmatism, developing cataracts, as well as dry eye syndrome.

If a patient has double vision and dizziness, then it cannot be ruled out that he develops a pathology of the brain, which leads to an increase in intracranial pressure. Sometimes double vision combined with dizziness is a sign of a stroke.

Often the image in the eyes doubles in people who have taken an excessive amount of alcohol. In this case, the violation is caused by slow work of the brain. It is unable to process the resulting images correctly, causing them to overlap.

Diagnosis of causes

Diagnosis of causes
Diagnosis of causes

There are many etiological factors that could lead to double vision. Therefore, it will not be possible to diagnose yourself. To find the cause of the violation, you must contact a specialist.

An ophthalmologist deals with diseases of the organs of vision. If double vision was triggered by disorders in the functioning of the nervous system, then a consultation with a neurologist may be required.

If you suspect a tumor of the eyeball, you will need to visit the oncologist's office.

The plan for examining a patient with complaints of double vision may be as follows:

  • Determination of visual acuity in the ophthalmologist's office.
  • Slit lamp eye examination.
  • Ophthalmoscopy.
  • Perform electromyography and coordimetry.
  • Performing endophonic tests.
  • Ultrasound of the eyeballs.
  • Performing a CT or MRI of the head.
  • Laboratory studies.

In childhood, double vision is often caused by strabismus. This pathology can threaten complete loss of vision. Therefore, if a child complains that he has double vision, it is necessary to check his organs of vision as soon as possible.

How to treat double vision?

To get rid of double vision, you need to eliminate the provoking factor. Sometimes the causes of visual impairment can be very serious and require emergency medical attention.

Video: Professor Dembskogo L. K. "how to help with double vision?":

The operation is most often prescribed for those patients who have changed the work of several muscles responsible for eye movement. During the surgical intervention, the length of the muscles is adjusted, if necessary, then the tendons are sewn. Such manipulations allow you to keep the eye in the correct position.

If it is possible to get rid of the problem by conservative methods, then it is used in the first place. For the period of treatment, a person may be offered to wear corrective glasses that have been developed according to individual parameters. Prismatic lenses allow the eye to focus normally. As a result, a person sees a normal, not a bifurcated image. However, the patient should be warned that wearing such lenses may cause visual impairment.

In order to increase visual acuity and get rid of partial diplopia, a person may be asked to perform gymnastic exercises aimed at training the eye muscles.

Video: gymnastics for eyes with astigmatism:

Squint is treated with glasses or contact lenses. It is possible to use synaptic preparations, for example, Synoptofor. A good effect is given by software-computer treatment, accommodation training, vacuum ophthalmic massage. The operation is prescribed in the event that it is not possible to cope with the problem by conservative methods. Children undergo surgery at the age of 3-5 years. The procedure can be aimed at weakening or strengthening the oculomotor muscles. Sometimes a muscle or tendon transplant is needed. The success of the operation is quite high and equates to 80-90%.

In case of dry eye syndrome, patients are prescribed installations of artificial tears. To eliminate inflammation, anti-inflammatory and immunotropic drugs are used. The operation is prescribed for the development of complications, for example, with corneal perforation or with a xerotic ulcer. The mild course of the disease responds well to correction. In severe cases, vision loss is possible.

Prevention measures

Prevention measures
Prevention measures

Reduce the likelihood of diseases that can lead to double vision, allow the following recommendations:

  • It is necessary to give up bad habits, especially smoking.
  • If the work is associated with a prolonged overstrain of the organs of vision, then you need to take breaks in it. At least every hour, you need to take your eyes off the computer monitor and look into the distance.
  • If you have to work with chemicals, you need to protect your eyes with goggles.
  • Don't rub your eyes with your hands.
  • It is useful to do exercises for the eyes at least once a day.
  • It is important to ensure that the lighting in the workplace is adequate.
  • If you have problems with your eyesight, you should see an ophthalmologist regularly.

If there are signs of visual impairment or double vision, you should consult a doctor and treat the existing pathologies in time.

Recommended: