Eye Diseases Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay said that double vision when looking away may be a harbinger of a serious health problem, medical help may be needed, so it should not be neglected.

Eye Diseases Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay gave important information about double vision when looking away, scientifically known as ‘diplopia’. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay emphasized that double vision, which can be experienced by many people and is usually a temporary condition, may be a symptom of a serious health problem, may require medical assistance, so it should not be neglected.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF IT IS EYE SLIPPAGE AND STRABISMUS
Stating that the most common cause of double vision is slippage and strabismus in the eye, Dr. Çağatay said, “Double vision increases over the years in cases where the inward shift increases when looking away. Our patients most frequently state that the lanes on the roads are intertwined. Double vision can also occur temporarily as a side effect due to trauma and some medications. For example; in recent years, patients have been presenting with temporary double vision problems after Botox applications. The double vision here typically occurs in side gaze. Other important and common causes of double vision are diseases of the brain and cerebral vessels. The most important thing to remember is that all newly emerging double vision problems require urgent medical examination and research without neglect.  Some problems that cause double vision may also be due to neurological causes. Diseases such as stroke, brain tumor, aneurysm in the brain vessels, multiple sclerosis can cause double vision problems when looking away.”

A DETAILED EYE EXAMINATION IS IMPORTANT IN THIS PROBLEM
People who have double vision problems when looking far away should urgently consult an ophthalmologist. With a detailed eye examination, the strabismus problem, if any, is detected by measuring the slip angles in far, near and side gaze; the diagnosis of strabismus can also be confirmed with binocular vision tests, which we call binocular vision tests. If no problem is detected, the underlying cause can be investigated with more detailed neurological examinations. Double vision is usually treatable; however, the treatment method depends on the source of the problem. It is very important to solve the underlying problem, if any. In addition, double vision can be eliminated with prismatic glasses that control double vision, neurotoxin applications and surgical interventions on the eye muscles. In conclusion, if you experience double vision when looking away, you should not ignore this condition and seek help from a health professional. This will help protect both your comfort of life and your overall health.

August 2023