What is diplopia?
Diplopia, also called double vision, is a pathology of vision in which the images perceived by the eyes are not processed in the brain as a single spatial image, but double vision is generated. According to its origin, it can be of two types:
- Binocular: this is the most common type. It occurs when the eyes do not align with each other correctly. It is usually related to strabismus.
- Monocular: it is much less common than the previous one. It is characterized by double vision generated by only one eye. It is related to an abnormality of the eye, such as astigmatism or a type of cataract.
According to its result, diplopia can be of three types:
- Horizontal: images appear side by side.
- Vertical: images appear on top of each other.
- Diagonal: images appear both horizontally and vertically.
Prognosis of the disease
If a person presents double vision, it is necessary to visit a specialist or go to the emergency department to determine the causative factor. If it is the case of a decompensated strabismus, it is necessary to carry out a study of why it is happening, especially to rule out neurological causes. There are complications triggered by this pathology, such as vertigo, nausea, infections, severe eye pain and headache. Although the prognosis is usually good, as with proper treatment people usually recover completely.
Symptoms of diplopia
Apart from double vision, other symptoms that may appear are:
- Misalignment of one or both eyes
- Pain around the eyes
- Pain during eye movements in one or both eyes.
- Headache
- Weakness, usually in the eyes
- Nausea
- Drooping eyelids
Medical tests for diplopia
Medical tests to diagnose this pathology consist of a specific ophthalmologic examination and specific tests, such as:
- Measurement of gaze positions to observe whether the patient suffers from strabismus or other ocular pathologies.
- Assessment of ocular motility, that is, the automatic, spontaneous and coordinated movement of the eyes.
- Complementary tests such as general analyses, imaging tests, etc.
In addition, it is important that during the general check-up the Ophthalmology expert rules out the presence of other ocular pathologies.
People with diabetes can reduce their risk by controlling their blood sugar level.
What are the causes of diplopia?
The causes of this condition can be diverse, such as:
- Diseases and disorders of the eye muscles.
- Injury, inflammation, circulatory disturbances
- Tumors in the eye and brain
- Alcohol
- Fatigue
- Diabetes
- Medications
- Intoxications or infections such as meningitis, diphtheria, among others.
- Congenital or acquired strabismus.
Can diplopia be prevented?
Some causes of diplopia can be prevented, for example, by wearing a seat belt in the car to avoid trauma, or by wearing glasses and head protection during sports activities or at work, if necessary.
In addition, people with diabetes can reduce the risk by controlling their blood sugar level.
Treatment of diplopia
Its treatment will come depending on the causes of the disease, that is why it is important to consult a specialist in order to address the pathology in a safe way. The most common treatments include:
- Corrective lenses to correct the vision problem.
- Patching to cover the eye and stop double vision.
- Eye exercises for the eye muscles to regain strength.
- Surgery to correct physical problems. Depending on the cause, this option may be chosen to mobilize the muscles with the objective of returning the eye to its previous alignment.
What specialist treats it?
The specialist who treats this pathology is the Ophthalmologist.