Diplopia, commonly known as double vision, is a condition that causes a person to see two images of a single object. It is an eye health issue that is treatable by catering to the problem causing it. There are a number of different causes of diplopia, some being serious while others are minor. The two types of diplopia are monocular diplopia and binocular diplopia.

The altered field of vision can also cause the affected person to experience vertigo or nausea. Increased sensitivity to sounds or lights, headache, eye pain, visual changes, and eye strain are also common symptoms of diplopia.

Causes of Diplopia

Here are some of the causes of diplopia:

Cornea Problems

The clear layer in front of the eye is called the cornea. Its main function is to focus the light coming from the outside into the eye. If and when the surface of the cornea gets distorted for reasons such as scarring, eye infection or injury, herpes zoster, shingles, dry eyes, or astigmatism, it may result in double vision.

Brain Problems

The eyes transmit visual information to the brain through nerves. If the areas of the brain that receive and process this information are affected by an injury or illness, they can cause double vision. Some of these brain conditions include:

l Stroke

l Trauma

l Bleeding

l Infections

l Migraine

l Severe headache

l Brain tumor

l Brain aneurysm

Nerve Problems

The potential causes of diplopia include certain problems with the nerves. Some cranial nerves serve as a bridge between the brain and the eye, which allows for the movement of the eyes and visual information processing. When these nerves are negatively affected by certain conditions, a person can experience double vision. These conditions include:

l Multiple sclerosis

l Myasthenia gravis

l Guillain-Barre syndrome

l Diabetes

Muscle Problems

The eye socket is home to six different muscles that are responsible for allowing the eye to rotate or move right, left, up, and down. A weakness, paralysis, or other issues with these extraocular muscles can negatively affect eye movement. The problems with these muscles include:

l Strabismus or misaligned eyes

l Grave’s disease

Lens Problems

The lens of the eye works with the cornea to direct the incoming light and focus it onto the retina. The shape of the lens changes during focusing, and it is situated behind the pupil. If the lens gets impacted by a disorder or condition, it can cause double vision or diplopia. The most common lens problem is cataracts.

It is crucial to see an eye specialist or doctor as soon as one experiences any symptoms of the condition. The double vision can be intermittent or constant, same or changing, at far or at the near vision, in one eye or both eyes, oblique, vertical, or horizontal. The symptoms include:

l Eye weakness

l Pain with eye movements

l Pain around the eye

l Misalignment of the eyes

l Nausea

l Headache

l Ptosis or droopy eyelids

As soon as the cause or causes of diplopia are discovered, the treatment for the condition should begin. Sometimes, diplopia can clear up on its own as well. However, the treatment or prescription will depend on your particular case.