DD7 sudden double vision

[Cazaletto]

Saw the optician this afternoon and have an urgent referral to the eye hospital - any similar experiences while I quietly panic?

She has complained of blurry vision and “colours” in her left eye for about two weeks, and we’ve seen her partly closing that eye a lot. At the optician she explained it more clearly as seeing two of everything. Optician says eyes are healthy and she is slightly long-sighted but not enough to account for the double vision, so has made the referral and queried if it’s possibly viral-related.

Her older sister had double vision as a toddler, but connected to a long-sighted squint (one eye turned in) and eventually corrected with surgery - this feels very different.

Can a viral infection do this? Am trying not to consider anything more serious. No other symptoms - is generally pretty healthy, eats well, sleeps ok, very active. Had a stinking cold thing maybe 3 weeks ago.

No advice but bumping for you x

How old is she OP?

7 - and my understanding from her big sister was that double vision because of eyesight tends to hit much earlier, around 3ish, when they start looking at books etc more often

Op, I would call the eye hospital and see when the appointment is likely going to be, and also if they can add DD’s name to a cancellation list - stress that you can get there anytime there is a cancellation (I’ve worked in this area before). Does your DD have headaches / a limp?

Viral infections can sometimes cause previously hidden eye muscle issues (so ones that that visual system can overcome) to become manifest and give you double vision.
That's the most likely scenario if the eyes otherwise look healthy. I don't know how long urgent paediatric eye referrals are taking in your area, but if it's going to be over a couple of weeks, I'd contact the optometrist again and ask them to do a cycloplegic refraction (using special eye drops) and see if she's actually a little more long sighted than the original test suggested.

They've done the right thing with referring though, sometimes sudden double vision can be caused be a weakening of just one of the eye muscles and that needs to be investigated. But this is unlikely in someone of her age with no history of a recent injury.

Hi OP
It is unusual for long-sightedness to cause these sorts of problems at age 7 but not rare. When children are younger starting to do more close work can trigger an inward turn in a long-sighted child and possibly some double vision ( although most younger kids suppress the second image). Older children are not able to suppress the second image. It might be that your 7 year old’s eyes and brain have been working hard to keep control and have managed up until now but with an illness that control has slipped, hence the double vision. It’s good that the optician has made a referral though, she’ll need looking at quickly in an eye department to have a thorough check to make sure it’s something straightforward, but there is a family history and the optician has said her eyes are healthy.
Did the optician give her some glasses?

Thanks all, that’s v helpful.

No other symptoms - no headaches or limps, seems thoroughly fit and well otherwise. She did have a bug maybe 3 weeks ago - threw up and was wiped out for a few days.

Optician said let’s get the double vision checked out before sorting the glasses. I’m not sure of the exact prescription as DH took her to the appointment.

Will chase up the hospital tomorrow if no word - they are generally pretty swift in my experience, having dealt with them with older DD (and me for a completely unrelated issue)

I have double vision due to my eyes not converging.
The brain is meant to ignore the vision from one eye which I think mine does to some degree. I now have prism lens that make such a difference to the point that I don't need them. They main me wait from aged 9 to 22 to get them as I would forever need prism lens.

I get on ok and it doesn't bother me and don't really notice it most of the time except when I am tired or ill or stress or rundown and then it permanently feels like my eyes are fighting one another. I am prone to headaches and migraines as are all of the women in my family and when I am having migraines it is worse.

My double vision was not picked up until I was about 10. I generally saw single but if I was tired or had been reading a lot I would see double. I presumed that everybody had the same!

I initially had prisms on my glasses and then had three operations - at about 11years old, 15 years old and 20 years old. So basically start of secondary, then GCSE years and then during my degree.

I had no further problems until I got to 40years old - when my eyes changed and I needed reading glasses. Unfortunately I can not have any more operations and whilst Botox is used for some patients it is not suitable for me. So I am back to prisms in my glasses.

I am fortunate that I have 3D vision but when tired my double vision is harder to control.

when I was in hospital with my daughter this summer there was a 9 year old girl with this. Obviously you can’t help overhearing!
the consensus was it was probably transient and viral and they sent her home without doing any CAT scans or anything like that. Not sure what happened next of course but no-one seemed too bothered about it.