sudden and progressive monocular doublevision

[mamakoukla]

Hello! I'd really appreciate any opinions/stories/advice.

I have had astigmatism in one eye forever but I suddenly noticed doublevision in just that eye. Went to optician, got a prescription for glasses, had them made up (wasn't a perfect correction), went back to the optician's, got a second prescription and the doublevision is now getting worse again.

a. the optician said that sometimes the eye has to go through a series of lenses before it settles - has anybody else had this?

b. I was also told that eventually it could not be corrected with lenses - ?

c. how concerned should I be about worsening vision within 6 weeks or so and having made my way through two prescriptions?

I am going to try to get a second opinion as this is worrying me a lot but TIA for any info/help/advice. I do a lot of fine-detailed work and if I lose my ability to see things properly that botches up things for me

What about going to your GP and being referred to an eye hospital?

Thank you Uriel. It did cross my mind and I now feel like a poster on a thread which, when I read it I automatically think "just go to the dr's".

I was not sure if that would be overreacting and that's why I posted for feedback - i.e. is any of this normal?

Sorry, hope I didn't sound unsympathetic!

I've had glasses for a couple of years now (absolutely hate the deterioration in my eyesight) so I suppose I'd want anything the optician couldn't correct checked out further.

I'd ask for a referral to an eye hosp or dept. Your gp may need a letter from your optician just to explain what the problem is. If you don't trust your optician to do a good job with that, your gp may be able to recommend one that they trust.

I would agree with getting referred on for another opinion on your eye. Hope that it gets sorted out soon.

you're not in manchester or london are you - as pretty sure both these cities have eye hospitals with a walk-in A & E department where you could get an initial opinion very quickly.

Many thanks for the replies. There seems to be a consensus that I should perhaps go beyond an optician's. I will get a second opinion from another optician but also book an appt with the GP.

Uriel, you weren't in the least unsympathetic - you gave an opinion in a straightforward way.

Totalchaos, I know exactly where the one in Manchester is (used to go by it every day) but unfortunately I'm a bit far away from it now. Thanks for the suggestions though.

mamakoukla, are you seeing 2 distinct images or is the second image just a faint shafow of the first?

shadow

Reservejudgement, the best way I can explain it is imagine a traffic light about 50 m away - the light is doubled (always to the left and approx. 3/4 now as it is getting more pronounced - so some overlap between the images; this is with my new prescription). It is quite distinct and not faint, although not necessarily 100 % the opacity of the original image.

I have noticed that this is very noticeable especially with light against dark e.g. traffic lights, lights, the moon, candle flames, looking out of a window, the window (light) doubles into the frame. Dark on light e.g. writing - there is some blurring but nowhere near as much as with light on dark. I am also still undecided if colour makes a difference e.g. the green vs. the red of a traffic light and I try and assess it each time I am out and about. I think the optician thought I was waffling but the distinction of light/dark and double image is noticeable and prominent.

P.S. Reservejudgement - I don't mind misspellings; as long as we can understand each other, language has fulfilled its purpose! If I went back and corrected every post I wrote with a mistake....

Mamakoukia - think I can help - yes, go to Gp and ask for referral to an ophthalmic consultant asap. I have just seen one who diagnosed early cataracts and I have the blurring you describe at night. However, coincidentally, my dh has had exactly the symptoms you describe and went to see a consultant who diagnosed a congenital muscle weakness in one eye that means he now has to wear a prism lens to correct it. Not serious, just annoying. Other thing it could be is ocular myasthenia gravis, which is much the same thing but occurs suddenly.
Either way its very unlikely to be anything more than inconvenient but you definitely need to be seen by a specialist and your GP can refer you. HTH

Salvolatile, many thanks for this information.

I am extremely thankful for the responses back and an appt will be made with the GP, first thing on Monday.

let us know how you get on.

yep - late to this but id advise a referral to an ophthamologist.

sometimes when there is a muscle imbalance you need a prism in the lens to correct it - it often causes double vision.

the other thing you could do in the meantime is see a different optician, seek out one with experience, they should be able to do a referral and also explain what they think is going on with your eyes.

good luck.

Many thanks again!

It may take a few days to see my GP (anywhere from next day to a few weeks... horrific, I know) but he's normally pretty good about passing the buck up the chain so I think he will easily send me off for a referral.

I will be back to let you know how things are progressing. In the meantime, Monday - book optician appt (a friend has been asking around for me as well) and a GP appt.

Ta-ra! xxx

Sunderland has an eye hospital, with walk in emergency dept, I have just been there, if Sunderland have one, any city does, try googling your nearest one. I'd think that this should be checked out sooner rather than later, especially if it getting worse that quick.

Errr Shinyandnew... (somewhat sheepish) when I wrote in an earlier message that I was a bit far away from Manchester now, I meant by a few thousand miles! But many thanks.

I am going to make a strong case with the GP's receptionist that I get an appt ASAP. I don't think that I am quite at the point of going into ER but if I don't get an appt by Tues-Thurs, I will try the local walk-in clinic.

OK, first of all, this is occurring in one eye only so definitely won't be a problem involving eye muscles so won't need a prism.
tbh, without seeing you, it's very difficult to say what it could be but it is not a normal thing for the prescription to change that rapidly. I would think a referral to an ophthalmologist would be your safest option. You don't say where you are living but in some countries, optometry as a profession is not as well-developed as in the UK or US and they simply may not have the expertise or equipment to deal with complicated eye conditions.
If you do go to another optometrist, someone who specialises in contact lenses and has access to a corneal topographer would be your best bet.

sorry i read it as binocular, not monocular.

mama, if you see the optician again they should be able to refer you, saves you explaining all to the GP. also if you get an experienced optom they should be able to say how urgent the referral needs to be, might speed things up a bit for you - at least thats how it works in the UK. where are you?

Several thousand miles away but she hasn't said in what direction!

Canada! So optometry should be reasonable and on par with US/UK.

I have only managed to get a Dr appt for the 16th Dec (semi-urgent case; 'regular' appts are booking in January!) so I am debating going to the walk-in clinic or whether to wait doing so if it does get even worse.

I have managed to get an appt with one of the better optometrists in town but it's not until the 17th Dec and I have been placed on the cancellation list if an appt becomes available.

It's tough knowing when to get panicked about something like this and I am just hoping that I am not being too relaxed by relying on appts three weeks away. It is a bit worrying to be honest. I will probably call up the optometrist/GP at the end of this week or early next week enquiring whether any appts have become available.

Many thanks to all.

Quick update... I've been offered an appt for the 8th Dec (was on cancellation list) with the optometrist.

GP is away and they cannot refer me to someone else.

Hope you are all doing well!

Had visit for second opinion today and the eye appears healthy and nothing wrong.

The monocular double vision can be compensated for with a prism (and the prescription came down then) and she actually took me out to look at the traffic lights some 100 m down the road since the problem is more noticeable at a distance (the light is travelling form further so this makes sense).

The optometrist was not too sure how this is happening and has given me a referral to an ophthamlologist with an interest in neurological problems but the wait time will be long (likely 6 moths) as I am relatively healthy etc. If there is a change again, I am to contact and they'll try to get me bumped up the list.

She also said that whilst astigmatism was present but it was not that high.

I also have a dr's appt next week and she has recommended a full check of bloodwork, and also thyroid and diabetes.

So, will try new lenses and keep an eye on it (dreadful pun! goes with my childish sense of humour).

...not 6 moths away but 6 months!

I have had a call that the appt is scheduled for next month, so much sooner than anticipated which is good in that it is being dealt with sooner.

New glasses due in a few days which I am itching to try out. I know which image is the duplicated one but it does get annoying IYSWIM, and a bit distracting.

Dr appt this week too.

I didn't go to the walk-in clinic as I had originally planned as I was told that they don't do referrals; that would be through ER and didn't feel I was quite at that stage.

Ta-ra!