Adult onset squint double vision cause ?

[Lkakpk]

So as a child I had a squint in one eye which was mild and kind of corrected itself except when I’m tired /unwell/ concentrating .
Suffer chronic migraine and following birth of my daughter via c section three weeks ago experienced hazy vision which I put down to my migraines as it was similar after dd1 birth and was put down to hormones .
10 days after birth experienced sudden onset double vision in left eye and images jumping . Visited eye hospital who said dry eye patches on eye but unsure of any other reason come back in a week . Next day headache was severe and I visited a & e who were concerned double vision still continued and performed a ct venogeam scan to rule out clots - all clear and normal blood test
They arranged for me to go back eye hospital which I visited again today and was told by ophthalmology team they believe my squint is playing up causing the sudden double vision and it may improve or may need treatment .
they also mentioned squint can appear in neuro conditions but they aren’t so worried due to my history but still want to monitor .
my question is is this likely the cause ? Can’t help but worry something is being missed neurologically especially with my worsening constant headache and also I’ve had burning tingling down legs/arm ( been told this is migriane related ) I did have mri scan in pregnancy ( three months ago ) which was clear . Is a change unlikely in three months ?

Dry eye can cause double vision, as can strabismus ( or squint). Like you, l also had a slight squint as a child but it was never treated and it apparently resolved itself although l became very shortsighted. However it's reappeared now in my later years and presented as double vision on and off. l am under the Moorfields eye clinic at my local hospital and being monitored by their opthalmology department to see if it remains stable. l currently wear a fresnel patch on my glasses to correct double vision which in my case is due to laxity of the eye muscles from ageing.
If you've had tests it sounds like it's not neurological, it's good you are being monitored in case you need treatment for the double vision. Your Migraines are most likely coincidental, l also suffered bad Migraines (usually hormonal in my case!) so you have my sympathy.

@Seaoftroubles thanks for replying ! Did your double vision appear suddenly and is it in one or both eyes ? Mine is in left eye and from looking online it says it’s more likely to be both eyes if squint related .

@Lkakpk Hello, it did appear suddenly and was very scary when it happened. l was out walking with my adult children, it was a misty day and l realised l could see 2 of trees, people etc.
We went back home, l put in some eye drops and my vision readjusted. I saw a local optician and they checked me and thought it just dry eye.They prescribed more eye drops but it started happening quite often in the evening when watching TV and when my eyes were tired. I had also recently begun wearing varificals as couldn't tolerate my contact lenses any more, and found they made my eyes extra tired (due to my high prescription.) If l cover either eye the double vision disappears. I think my right eye is the culprit, and since l've been under Moorfields l've been told it's due to weakness in the supporting muscles of the eye and when my eyes are tired they struggle to work together. Are you having regular checks with the opthalmology dept of your hospital to monitor any changes?

@Seaoftroubles hi , thanks for reply . I agree it is really scary especially when it’s sudden .
Mine is the left eye and when I cover the left the right had no double vision where as it still remains other way round .
i am awaiting an app at eye hospital to review my eye sight now .
They believe it’s been triggered by post partum tiredness and hormones ( I had my baby 3 weeks ago ) I just hope it somewhat improves as it’s awful feeling like your sight is off isn’t it ?!

@Lkakpk lt is very scary, especially as it can take time to diagnose. In your case it does sound like it could be post partum hormonal changes. Hormones can definitely affect your vision, especially with regard to dry eyes for example and of course can trigger migraines. lt's good that you are under the care of a hospital opthalmologist, hopefully you will get reviewed soon and get some definite answers. And congratulations on your new baby too.

Hi, if it's only in one eye them it definitely isn't neurological. It also won't be to do with your previous squint. It's most likely to be something like dry eye, migraine or a need for glasses. You are under ophthalmology who have done lots of tests, so that's good. Hope it goes away soon.

Have you posted this before OP (or am remembering a patient?!)
Tiredness and hormones can cause existing squints to decompensate. Hormones can also cause changes to the cornea which can make you more or less long or shortsighted, that can make squints more apparent.

squints can appear in neurological conditions.

if the hospital haven’t done a refraction, I’d go for a regular eye exam.

@Budapestdreams hi , it’s definitely only one eye - when I cover left eye right can see fine although when both are not covered I have double vision so unsure ?

If you cover your right eye, do you see the same double as with both eyes open?

@underneaththeash I posted when it first happened yes although at the time I thought it was blurred vision .
what is a refraction ? In your experience is it likely to do with my childhood squint if it’s only one eye ? Although saying that , with eyes open I clearly have double vision . When I cover left eye can see clearly out right / opposite way and it’s clearly double . Very conflicting info online about squint and double vision and how it’s not as worrying with one eye

I had no idea hormones or dry eye could cause this! I had occasional double vision that got much worse round perimenopause. Ended up having squint surgery which no longer works and I am seeing double again when tired. Also har glasss with a prism in.

@Budapestdreams so when I cover right eye and look at text at a distance it’s very clearly double and can’t focus . If I do the same with right eye it’s fine .
i find the double with both eyes open is more of a intermittent thing . Vision feels blurry and hazy constantly especially with glare from lights with the occasional visual jump / double vision but without separating the eyes I would assume it was both . Hope that makes sense 🤣

If it's genuinely only affecting one eye then it is most likely to do with the eyeball itself. If it's monocular diplopia (double in one eye only) it's not neurological.

@Budapestdreams thanks I hope so !

I would definitely go for a refraction (glasses test) at your local optician if you haven't done so already. They are specialists in blurry vision. Pregnancy and birth can cause you to need glasses sometimes. They can also do lots of other tests and should be able to help.

@Budapestdreams Thankyou I will do .

@Lkakpk Agree, definitely see an optician for an eye test. It was an optician who eventually confirmed my on and off double vision when he was checking my peripheral field. I was then referred to Moorfields opthalmology and now have regular reviews.

@Seaoftroubles Thankyou I will do x

Sorry OP, yes a refraction is to see if you need to wear glasses.

Double vision in one is eye is more likely to be due to a problem in the eyeball and optometrists are good at diagnosing that. It could also be due to an issue with the lens in the eye, which does occasionally happen after having a baby, but I'd expect the hospital would have noticed that.

@underneaththeash thanks . So doctor passed me to lady at hospital who specialised in eye movement and muscles but was not a doctor herself she seemed really confident it was squint related as she could see the squint on focused work . However, from researching myself it seems unlikely if it’s one eye which it seems to be as covering the left seems to bring complete clear vision in the right although when both uncovered it seems the left makes it seem both are doubled . Very confusing but anyway I do think it’s just the left giving the overall impression of double vision in both so therefore i still feel at a bit of a loss as to what it may be .

I'm not sure if this is any use but both my sister and I who both get occasional migraines got a sort of mini one everyday for at least 6 weeks post partum due to hormones. I get double vision after a migraine and sometimes before. I'm just wondering whether this might be part of the issue.

I would also pursue what you can with migraine. It may not be related at all but is horrendous to deal with.

@DeclineandFall I actually did also after dd1 so I’m thinking the same . Do think migraines aren’t helping

@crosstalk agreed . I am chasing it but it’s frustrating with nhs secretaries and back and forth at minute

I've had double vision resulting from my squint for years. Convergent squint as a child that then turned out, led to double. The squint was corrected but it still left me with slightly overlapping images. I was told once the brain loses the ability to merge the two, it sometimes can't get go back again. It was strange to start with but now it'a my normal and I don't really notice it any more.