I see my nose as two distinct 'shadows'-anyone else?

[winnybella]

Arrgh. I went to the ophtalmologue today.

But first: I always had what I thought was an astigmatism. Left eye not really working well, right eye taking over.

So, in my field of vision, I could see a bit on the left (blurry), then a shadow of my nose, then the rest of field clear (my right eye's area).

Few days ago I noticed that I see the same( albeit a bit less distinct) shadow of my nose on the other, right side of my field of vision.

So, now I see my nose 'twice'- on the left and right side.

Freaked out, went to see the said doctor, who did all the tests etc, said I had amblyopia (lazy eye) in the left eye, right eye is ok, although not perfect. Prescribed glasses and told me to make an appointment with an optometrist.

I said that I have been spending hours a day on the computer these last few months and he thought that could have been a reason.

I asked him whether I should have a brain scan and he said that if the optometrist won't find anything, then, yes, as double vision could be a sign of brain tumour.

I tried googling, but I found only two people on some forums saying they had the same thing, but they didn't have diagnosis.

I don't see other stuff in double, although if I focus on something close than things behind can go double and vice versa, but I don't see people with two heads etc.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

[winnybella]

bump...

[magso]

Hi. First of all don't get too worried. It sounds like you have seen an eye specialist and he will have checked your eyes and retina.
It is normal for the right eye to see the nose out of focus and shadowy on the right of your visual field. Mostly we do not notice it - its always there so the brain filters it out from conscious awareness. The left eye would see the nose shadow to the left. Usually one shadow is more obvious than the other.
You were told you have a lazy eye. This is a phrase that can mean several things- so only professionals advising you in the flesh can really know what is happening. It can mean an eye that sees less well or it can mean an eye that does not fully line up with the other eye sometimes called a squint or turn. Often this is because the muscles controlling the position of the eyes are not balanced - so one set of muscles has to work hard to line up. In some people the misalignment is intermittant - perhaps happening when tired and the muscles tired.
If you have this problem - it is possible that hours of 'hard' work ( study/computor)may have worn out the weaker set of muscles.
Oh this is long!
What I am trying to say is it may be a long standing difference that has become out of balance ( decompensated). You need to see an optometrist and possibly an orthoptist ( specialises in eye muscle difficulties).
Sorry to be so long but HTH. You sound so worried!

[winnybella]

Thank you. Yes, the doctor seemed to think it was one eye decompensating or something similar. It's just weird because I see two noses in a way, or rather two sides but the right side of my nose is on the left side of my visual field and the left side on the right. They don't meet, except on the top.

Anyway, I will make an appointment tomorrow with the optometrist as I live next to the eye hospital, but they don't take them today.

It's just strange that I couldn't find anything about it on the internet- they talk about blurry vision, proper double vision etc, but not about seeing your nose as two seperate images.

[magso]

You could read about physiological diplopia ( diplopia = seeing double images), but still see your optometrist.

[winnybella]

Thank you, I looked it up and that would account for me seeing things double that are before or beyond the object that I'm fixating on.

But it still doesn't explain two bloody noses!

Arrgh.

[magso]

Usually (unless convergence is better than most)your nose is too near to be seen without physiological diplopia. However if you have a lazy eye (or had in early childhood) its possible you can suppress an image better than average and that for some reason has changed. There is also something called anomalous (retinal) corespondance which forms in young children with eyes that cannot quite line up to prevent confusion and double vision. I would exspect that to effect other things besides seeing your nose though!Also there is a relationship between convergence and focusing (accommodation), which can alter if one set of muscles gets over tired.
Interesting puzzle! Just have to see what your optometrist thinks!

[winnybella]

Hmmm....but you see, the ophtalmo looked at how my eyes move together etc and said it's fine- so it isn't really the case of one eye looking somewhere else iyswim.

Also, it's not only when I focus on my nose- would expect it to go double in that case. Even when I'm looking in front of me, I'm aware of two shadows on either side of my visual field.

[valleron2009]

i have the same exactly.i have this for 2 years now.i also have pulsinh headache all the time that creates pulsing in vision too.so beacause of the diplopia that creating specially when i blink freely without extra effort,i did surgery for diplopia.for 5 months i was a little bit better because i was seeeing only the right half shadow nose but now i started seeing again two.its very annoying andthe docs said its neurological.i will do all the diagnostics tests of the body and i dont have any brain scan yet so i hope they will found the cause of this.i found too two others in the net with the same problem.if you want add me on facebook to talk.my name is Valerios Tatarou

[Zakria123]

Did it ever resolve for you? , Im having the same issue

[Danielle1803]

Hi has anyone found any relief to this problem, I am currently experiencing this also

[Zakria123]

I've had it for a year now, I got it randomly one morning. What do you see, can you describe?

[underneaththeash]

Zakria/Danielle, I read this a few days ago and have been thinking about it. The first thing you need to do is have an eye examination with an Optometrist and have them do a visual field test, that will rule out there being an actual bit of your vision you can't see.

If it is normal, I think its because you've had a change in your occular dominance. Most people have one eye that is more dominant than the other and they look out of that eye more than the other one.
I can make my eyes do what was described above (so 2 nose images on either side of my visual field) by simply looking out of my non-dominant eye.

Sometimes the shift can occur if there is a problem with the dominant eye (which will also be picked up by the eye examination), or the prescription has changed in that eye (which again will be picked up).

Eye dominance also depends on your direction of gaze so you'll notice it more when you're looking in certain directions more than others.

So, have a eye exam first, get everything checked, it may just be that you need some glasses or a change in prescription.

[Danielle1803]

went to the opticians today, vision all clear. think it may be linked to anxiety

[Nick4577]

I have anxiety too, and today I started seeing two noses, and feel so scared , has anyone found solutions to our problem?

[Zakria123]

I've had this since december 2017, so im scared its permanent.

[RohanKp]

I have the same problem did it resolve?? Please help I'm very depressed

[Mehrnoush]

Hi...I always see two noses! It seems there is no problem with my eyes...I did not know others see their nose in a different way until I spoke with others! So strange!

[Sofia0786]

Hi, i have same problem since 2007. It started suddenly when i was attending my school. Now i m married.. post graduated....still have that problem .....i went to so many doctors...they found nothing...then luckily i went to a very famous doctor ..he diagnosed me with a condition called "convergence insufficiency" ....n asked me to pencil exercise....

[Sofia0786]

Dnt worry dear.....i had this prob since 2007.....

[Killarmy87]

I have the same problem. I thought that this is bacause of my hump on my nose and that is too big. I did the nosejob. But the filing is still the same, even worst.

[Acykor]

Yes I definitely have this same experience sometimes it goes away but it's been going on for about 4 years now. I was never diagnosed either