Diplopia, commonly known as double vision, is a condition where a person sees two images of a single object either constantly or intermittently. These two images may be side by side (horizontal diplopia), one above the other (vertical diplopia), or a combination of both. Diplopia can significantly affect vision quality and daily activities, making accurate diagnosis and prompt management crucial.

---

Types of Diplopia

• Monocular Diplopia
  Double vision persists when one eye is covered. It is usually related to problems within the eye itself, such as lens abnormalities (e.g., cataract), corneal irregularities (e.g., keratoconus), or retinal disorders.
• Binocular Diplopia
  Double vision occurs only when both eyes are open and disappears when either eye is closed. It usually results from misalignment of the eyes due to issues with the eye muscles or nerves controlling eye movement.

---

Common Causes of Diplopia

• Ocular Causes
  • Cataracts
  • Corneal scarring or irregularities
  • Retinal conditions (e.g., macular degeneration)
• Neurological Causes
  • Cranial nerve palsies (III, IV, VI)
  • Stroke
  • Brain tumors
  • Multiple sclerosis
• Muscular Disorders
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Thyroid eye disease (Graves’ orbitopathy)
• Orbital Causes
  • Trauma causing muscle entrapment
  • Orbital tumors or infections

---

Symptoms Associated With Diplopia

• Seeing two images of a single object
• Eye misalignment (strabismus)
• Head tilting or turning to compensate for double vision
• Eye pain or discomfort (in some cases)
• Difficulty focusing or reading

---

Diagnosis

A thorough assessment by an ophthalmologist or neurologist includes:

• Comprehensive eye examination
• Ocular motility tests
• Cover-uncover test
• Imaging studies (MRI, CT scan) if neurological or orbital pathology is suspected
• Blood tests for systemic conditions like diabetes or myasthenia gravis

---

Treatment Options

Treatment depends on the underlying cause:

• Corrective Lenses or Prisms: Special glasses can help align images properly.
• Eye Muscle Surgery: To correct strabismus or muscle entrapment.
• Medical Management: For underlying conditions like myasthenia gravis or thyroid disease.
• Occlusion Therapy: Temporarily covering one eye to relieve symptoms.
• Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Injections: In some cases of ocular misalignment.

---

Important:
Sudden onset of diplopia, especially if accompanied by other neurological symptoms like weakness, numbness, or slurred speech, should be treated as a medical emergency.