10 Common Causes of Double Vision
Article Sources
- 1. Edsel B Ing, M. (2020, June 11). Ophthalmologic Manifestations of Myasthenia Gravis. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1216417-overview
- 2. Neeraj N Mathur, M. (2020, May 12). Orbital Fractures. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/867985-overview
- 3. Suhr, C. L., OD, Chubb, L., OD, & Himmelein, L., OD. (2019, August 15). Top Causes of Double Vision. Retrieved November 18, 2020, from https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/top-causes-of-double-vision
2. Strabismus
Strabismus is a visual disorder in which there is a misalignment of one eye in relation to the other. As a result, the eyes fail to simultaneously focus on the same image. Hence, this condition is a common cause of binocular diplopia. Strabismus can be present since birth; however, it can also appear as a recurrence of childhood strabismus or it can have a new onset in adulthood.
Importantly, if the misalignment is present from childhood, it is unlikely that double vision will be reported as a symptom. This occurs because the developing brain in a child will actively suppress one of the images to avoid double vision. Unfortunately, if congenital strabismus is left untreated, amblyopia or permanent visual impairment can occur in the eye where the image is constantly suppressed. Conversely, adults with strabismus will commonly report double vision. This occurs because their brain has been trained to process images from both eyes. New-onset strabismus in adults can result from many conditions including strokes, thyroid eye disease, and tumors.
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