Why Am I Seeing Double?
Double Vision Treatment: Prism Glasses & Vision Therapy
Seeing two images of a single object can be worrying and frustrating. Double vision can affect reading, driving, screen use, and daily activities.
The good news is that many causes of double vision can be treated or managed, often with prism glasses or vision therapy.
If you are experiencing double vision, a binocular vision assessment can determine the cause and the most effective treatment.
What Is Double Vision?
Double vision occurs when the two eyes are not working together properly, causing the brain to receive two different images instead of one clear image.
This type of double vision is called binocular diplopia, meaning it happens because of how the eyes align and coordinate.
When the eyes are not perfectly aligned, the brain struggles to fuse the images from each eye, resulting in:
- side-by-side double images
- vertical double images
- ghosting or shadowing
- difficulty focusing when reading or using screens
A Simple Test You Can Try at Home
You can try a quick test to help determine if your double vision may be binocular.
Cover one eye while looking at an object.
- If the double vision disappears, it may be binocular double vision caused by eye misalignment.
- If the double vision remains in one eye, the cause may be different and requires a different type of eye examination.
A proper diagnosis still requires a binocular vision assessment, but this test can be a useful clue.
Common Causes of Binocular Double Vision
Double vision in adults can develop suddenly or gradually. Many cases occur when a small eye alignment issue that the brain previously controlled begins to break down.
Common treatable causes include:
- Convergence Insufficiency: The eyes have difficulty turning inward together when focusing on near tasks such as reading or computer work. This can cause double vision, eye strain, and headaches.
- Decompensating Phoria: Some people have a small natural eye misalignment that the brain normally compensates for. Stress, fatigue, illness, or age can cause this system to weaken, leading to double vision.
- Eye Muscle Imbalance: Small imbalances in the muscles that control eye movement can cause the eyes to point in slightly different directions.
- Post-Concussion Vision Problems: Head injuries and concussions can disrupt how the eyes coordinate and focus together.
- Longstanding Strabismus in Adults: Some adults have a childhood eye turn that becomes symptomatic later in life.
- Nerve Palsies: Occasionally, the nerves controlling eye movement may be affected, causing sudden misalignment.
A comprehensive assessment is needed to identify the exact cause and determine the best treatment.
Book a Binocular Vision Assessment
If you are experiencing double vision, the first step is a comprehensive binocular vision assessment.
This specialised examination determines:
- the cause of the double vision
- whether prism lenses are needed
- whether vision therapy may help
Early assessment can prevent symptoms from worsening and help restore comfortable single vision.