Do you know the meaning of diplopia? I think some of us don’t know about the term. It is a disease on eye that referred to as double vision. The disease may be result of refractive error, where light from an object is split into two images by a defect in the eye’s optical system. It also may result from failure of both eyes to point at the object being viewed, a condition referred to as ocular misalignment. There’s mistake from people that though double and blurred vision are the same. For blurred vision, a single image seen by one eye appears unclear while in double vision, two images are seen at the same time creating understandable confusion for anyone who has it.
Diplopia Symptoms
Double vision means that you simultaneously see two separate images of the same object. In some cases, double vision can be little more than a feint ‘ghost’ image, which is easily confused with blurred vision.
Double vision can be horizontal, where the images appear side by side; vertical, where the images appear one above the other; or diagonal, where the images are both vertically and horizontally displaced from one another.
Double vision makes it difficult to see objects at any distance, and can particularly affect your spatial awareness, and therefore your ability to drive. Children with double vision may frequently cover one eye, or they may tend to squint or turn their head in an unusual way to try to see properly.
Type Of Diplopia
Binocular diplopia
Binocular diplopia is the most common type of double vision. It occurs when your eyes don’t align with each other as they normally would. Those with binocular double vision will find that covering either eye gets rid of the double image.
Binocular double vision is usually caused by a squint, but if it occurs suddenly, it could be a symptom of a much more serious medical condition. Diseases of the thyroid or arteries, along with diabetes, multiple sclerosis, stroke and a number of other serious conditions can cause double vision. It’s therefore essential to make an appointment with an eye specialist as soon as possible if you have double vision.
Monocular diplopia
Monocular diplopia is double vision in one eye only, and is much less common than binocular diplopia. If you have monocular double vision, only covering the affected eye will make the double image disappear.
Monocular double vision is usually caused by an abnormality within the eye itself, such as a refractive error like astigmatism , or a rare type of cataract. It can also be caused by abnormalities of the iris, lens, or fluid within the eye, and even dry eye .
Treatment for diplopia
The most important step is to identify and treat the root cause.
- If weak eye muscles are to blame, or if a muscle has been pinched as a result of injury, surgery may help.
- Medications can treat myasthenia gravis.
- Surgery or medicine is available for Graves’ disease.
- Medicines and insulin can control blood sugar in diabetes.
If double vision can’t be reversed, treatments can help you live with it. Special eyewear, like an eye patch or prism glasses, can ease the effects
Reference :- Kellog
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