Sudden Double Vision in Cincinnati: When Seeing Double Needs Urgent Eye Care

Sudden Double Vision in Cincinnati: When Seeing Double Needs Urgent Eye Care

Seeing two images where there should only be one can be unsettling. More importantly, sudden double vision should not simply be watched for several days to see whether it disappears.

Double vision, also called diplopia, can result from a problem involving the eye itself, the muscles that move the eyes, the nerves controlling those muscles, or the neurologic system responsible for coordinating vision.

Some causes are relatively manageable. Others require urgent medical attention.

If you suddenly develop double vision in Cincinnati, the first priority is determining how urgent the situation may be and where you should be evaluated.

First: Do Not Drive With New Double Vision

Double vision can interfere with depth perception, orientation, and spatial judgment.

If seeing double begins suddenly, avoid driving yourself to an appointment or emergency department. Have someone else drive you, or use emergency medical services when appropriate.

When Sudden Double Vision Means Call 911

New double vision can occasionally occur with a stroke or another neurologic emergency.

Seek emergency medical care immediately if double vision occurs together with symptoms such as:

• Facial drooping
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
• Confusion
• Severe sudden headache
• Significant dizziness
• Trouble walking or loss of balance

Sudden vision changes accompanied by these neurologic symptoms should not wait for a routine eye appointment.

Recent significant head trauma, sudden major vision loss, an obviously abnormal pupil, severe eye pain, or an inability to move one eye normally may also require emergency evaluation.

If these warning signs are present, call 911 or go directly to an emergency department.

Is the Double Vision Coming From One Eye or Both?

One of the first things an eye doctor may determine is whether the double vision is monocular or binocular.

Monocular Double Vision

Monocular double vision remains when the unaffected eye is covered.

It may be related to the optical system of one eye, including problems involving the:

• Tear film
• Cornea
• Eyeglass or contact lens prescription
• Natural lens of the eye

Dry eye, corneal irregularities, refractive changes, and cataracts are among the conditions that can sometimes produce this type of visual distortion.

Binocular Double Vision

Binocular double vision usually disappears when either eye is covered.

This may indicate that the eyes are no longer aligning together correctly. Problems involving the eye muscles, cranial nerves, blood vessels, thyroid disease, or neurologic system can cause this pattern.

Covering one eye briefly may help you describe what you are experiencing, but it should not be used to diagnose the problem yourself or delay evaluation.

What Can Cause Double Vision?

There is no single cause of double vision.

Possible causes include:

• Dry eye or corneal problems
• Changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
• Cataracts
• Eye-muscle or eye-alignment disorders
• Cranial nerve problems
• Diabetes or vascular disease
• Thyroid-related eye disease
• Neurologic conditions
• Head or eye trauma

Because the same symptom can result from very different conditions, the most important question is not simply:

“How do I stop seeing double?”

It is:

“Why did this start?”

That is where a careful eye and medical evaluation becomes important.

What Might an Eye Examination Include?

The evaluation depends on your symptoms and medical history, but an eye doctor may assess:

• Visual acuity
• Pupils
• Eyeglass prescription
• Eye alignment
• Eye movements
• Neurologic findings
• The cornea and front surface of the eye
• The lens of the eye
• The retina and optic nerve

At See Well Eyecare, we provide comprehensive and medical eye care in Hyde Park, Cincinnati and evaluate many sudden vision concerns during office hours.

Depending on the situation, we may perform a focused medical evaluation or recommend a more complete comprehensive eye exam.

Sometimes the next step is treatment or monitoring in the optometry office.

In other situations, the safest recommendation is immediate referral to an emergency department, ophthalmologist, neurologist, or another medical specialist.

When Should You Call an Eye Doctor?

If you develop new double vision without obvious stroke symptoms, you should still contact an eye doctor promptly rather than waiting until your next routine examination.

See Well Eyecare evaluates many urgent eye concerns, including sudden vision changes, eye pain, foreign-body sensations, flashes and floaters, contact lens problems, and minor eye injuries. You can review additional guidance in our Eye Care FAQs.

If you are uncertain whether your symptoms belong in an eye-care office or an emergency department, call us first at 513-268-8748 so our team can help determine the appropriate next step.

Your Eye Doctor in Hyde Park, Cincinnati

See Well Eyecare is an independent optometry practice located at:

3330 Erie Avenue, Suite 14
Cincinnati, OH 45208

Our Hyde Park office is convenient to Oakley, Mount Lookout, Mariemont, Columbia-Tusculum, and other Cincinnati East Side communities.

We are located along Erie Avenue, across from Cincinnati’s well-known Mushroom House and in the same building as Hyde Park Pediatrics. Learn more about our neighborhood location and services on our Hyde Park and Oakley eye doctor page.

What Should You Do If You Are Seeing Double Right Now?

If your double vision occurs with:

• Weakness or numbness
• Facial drooping
• Difficulty speaking
• Severe headache
• Major trauma
• Sudden major vision loss
• Significant balance problems
• Other concerning neurologic symptoms

Call 911 or go directly to an emergency department.

If you have new double vision without those emergency warning signs, contact See Well Eyecare promptly.

You can request an appointment online or call 513-268-8748.

When requesting the appointment, tell our team that you are experiencing new or sudden double vision so we can help determine the appropriate type and timing of evaluation.

See Well. Be Well.

About the Author

Rawzi Baik, OD is the owner and optometrist at See Well Eyecare, an independent eye-care practice in Hyde Park, Cincinnati. Dr. Baik provides comprehensive eye exams, medical eye care, contact lens care, pediatric eye care, myopia management, dry-eye care, and personalized eyewear services for patients throughout Cincinnati.

This article is intended for general educational purposes and does not replace an individual examination, diagnosis, or emergency medical care.