Vision impairment is a serious problem that has many causes. It can be a result of disease, or it can come as part of the aging process. According to the CDC, over the next three decades, it's estimated that the population of adults with vision problems and age-related eye conditions will double because of the rapidly aging U.S. population. If you are experiencing vision impairment issues, such as double vision, you must quickly visit an ophthalmologist to get examined. Here's why.

What Is Double Vision

Double vision, also known as diptopia, is a condition whereby you see two images of a single object. While this is usually a temporary issue, it can also indicate several serious health conditions. This is why you must never ignore this problem. As soon as you notice such a change in your vision, you must get your eyes checked right away.

How Common Is Diplopia?

It's quite common for people to experience double vision. In fact, more than 800,000 people visit healthcare providers yearly because of dystopia. It's also one of the most common causes of visits to the ER. About 50 000 people visit the ER per year because they will be experiencing double vision.

Distopia and Problems With the Brain

One of the reasons why you must never ignore double vision is because it is linked to problems with the brain. For instance, distopia can be a result of brain trauma, tumors, aneurysms, or stroke. It can also be caused by autoimmune diseases that involve the brain.

Under normal circumstances, the brain usually organizes information that you perceive with your eyes, and it sends it down the nerves that are connected to your eye muscles. These nerves control the movement of your eye muscles and, therefore, the movement of your eye. If there is any problem with the brain, nerves, or eye muscles, it can result in double vision.

When you visit your healthcare provider, they will be able to identify the underlying cause and treat it. This will help restore your vision. If the underlying condition cannot be treated, the optician can also recommend prism lenses to help the eyes align better. While they won't make the problem go away, they can enable you to return to your normal everyday activities.

Double Vision and Problems With Nerves

There are several diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, that can cause damage to the nerves that supply eye muscles, leading to distopia. To deal with such cases, doctors can focus on treating the underlying condition. Fortunately, if the treatment is successful, double vision will typically improve.

Distopia and Muscle Problems

Double vision can also be caused by a problem with the muscles. If one of your eye muscles is weaker than the other, it's possible to start seeing double. Weak eye muscles can be caused by conditions like myasthenia gravis. They can also result from Thyroid disorders.

If you are experiencing thyroid issues, one of the best ways to deal with them is to go under surgery with the hope of repositioning the eye muscles. Before the surgery, it's crucial to stabilize any eye movement abnormalities. This can be done using steroid treatment or prism therapy.

Lens Problems

If your eye's lens is clouded, as in the case of cataracts, your vision can decrease, and you might start seeing double. To fix this issue, doctors recommend surgery. Another lens problem that can also cause double vision is astigmatism. This problem is usually fixed by wearing special contact lenses. These can act as a therapeutic measure and also just to enable you to continue with your day-to-day activities. If you suspect lens problems, you must visit your ophthalmologist as soon as possible so they can investigate and try to determine the root cause. Delaying treatment can further complicate the problem and make it worse.

It's crucial to visit the doctor whenever double vision persists. You might never know how serious the underlying condition is, so delaying is not in your best interests. Once the problem that you will be dealing with is resolved, you must also remember to follow up with regular eye exams. That way, you can be totally certain that the problem is gone for good. Ophthalmologists advise that anyone under the age of 18 and over the age of 65 go for eye exams at least once a year. Everyone in-between should go for an eye exam at least once every two years. Visit us at the Vision and Learning Center to learn more.