Double vision - should I bother GP?

[MurielsBottom]

After being poorly all weekend I was diagnosed with possible labyrinthitus on Monday and prescribed some tablets. Things have improved loads and I now feel much better. However I still can't walk in a straight line and every morning for around two to three hours I have double vision. The double vision is so extreme that I can only see with one eye closed! During the day my eyes seem to work ok but then in the evening the double vision starts again. I am wondering if I need to see the GP again or this is something to do with the initial diagnosis.

Maybe see an optician

Muriels - I'd recommend that you see your gp first to rule out anything sinister related to the labyrinthitis. I've had a good look at medline and it seems that anything too serious would either be more transient or more long lasting than your current symptoms....but its still an uncommon symptom.

Its also possible that the viral infection could have caused your visual symptom to de-compensate slightly, making a previous slight muscle imbalance (which most people have) symptomatic. If the g.p isn't worried then I would make an appointment at the Opticians next week if it still isn't any better.

I think it will wait till Monday though rather than going to OOH.

Sudden onset double vision is important to get checked ASAP. Start at your opticians

Thanks everyone. I will phone on Monday if my eyes haven't improved.
I am thinking along the lines of the double vision being part of my head adjusting to the labyrinthitis but I haven't read anything to that effect.

I would get an opticians appointment tomorrow. If it is anything urgent they will refer you on, if nothing shows then go to GP if still ill on Mon.

I work in an eye department and my speciality is double vision.
I would advise seeing an optician first thing tomorrow. They will be able to check the cause of the double vision and refer to eye casualty as appropriate.
It is difficult to know the cause without an examination but it may be linked to the labyrinthitis. Definitely needs investigating though. Hope you feel better soon.

Really? I will try to see an optician tomorrow then. There are a few in town so I should be able to find one with a space to see me.

So I went to the optician today and he has referred me to the eye hospital. Although he didn't say it was urgent but he would like me to be seen in the next few weeks and wrote this in the referral.

He did say if it gets worse ( so doesn't get better during the day) then I need to go straight the eye hospital emergency dept! He didn't say anything about what he thought it could be except that the muscle that moves my eyeballs are not working together.

So I am still in the dark, a little worried, but not so much after seeing the optician today.