Contacts causing double vision/ghost images

[gmclella]

I recently had an eye exam and was told that I have astigmatism (-2.0 in one eye -1.75 in the other). I bought myself my first pair of glasses and some contact lenses to try to correct my vision. As soon as I tried on the contact lenses I noticed that they were blurry, enough so to make a comment to the optician. I was told that it was because my eyes weren't used to them and they would adapt and my vision would improve, especially once my eyes became accustomed to wearing my glasses, but mentioned they would never have the same acuity as my glasses.

After getting home and wearing the contacts more I noticed some double vision or perhaps ghost images. Essentially when I'm looking at something in the distance (white text on a darker backgroud seems to be worse) I see the object slightly higher and to slightly to the right of the original in both eyes. This happens as soon as I put them in so I don't think it is because I have dry eyes. This continues to happen if I close one eye, I still see the double vision out of the open eye. The problem goes away once I remove the contact lenses. I don't tend to notice this with my glasses- either it's not as bad or not happening at all.

I am a rookie contact lense wearer and I suppose it might be possible I put them in the wrong eye or even inside out but would this cause the problem I'm experiencing? Would inserting a dry lense cause this (i.e. if the lense dries out before I put it into my eye, being a rookie and all it still takes me some time)?

[shellrob]

Call the office and make an appointment for a contact lens check. There's so many thinngs that could be going on that I don't think we can speculate. Only your doctor will be able to tell you.


Good luck

[gmclella]

Well, I went in to see my doctor again and he gave me an explanation for my double vision. I was hoping he was going to do a full retest on me to verify the prescription but as soon as I mentioned the double vision he seemed to think it was due to my eyes not looking in the same direction (can't recall the medical term he used). He did a quick test where I followed his finger around with my eyes and he seemed to think that one was off or slower or whatever. He went on to tell me that I'd have to live with it and that there was nothing he could do for me short of getting a prism or corrective surgery. He thinks that I've always had this and just haven't noticed it due to my astigmatism and now that I see "clearly" I'm noticing it.
At the time it seemed like a plausible explanation however now that I've had some time to think about it, it doesn't sound right at all. The one hole in his theory is that when I close one eye the double vision does not go away. If in fact my eyes weren't pointed in the same direction and was causing the double vision then I would think that closing one eye would eliminate the double vision- which is not the case at all. I would also think that if he was correct I should be experiencing the double vision from my glasses to the same level as my contacts when my contacts are much worse. He didn't even bother to to a contact lens check. I was hoping to get some other opinions from the forum, and am seriously considering getting a second opinion from another doctor in town.

[QDO1]

Well, I went in to see my doctor again and he gave me an explanation for my double vision. I was hoping he was going to do a full retest on me to verify the prescription but as soon as I mentioned the double vision he seemed to think it was due to my eyes not looking in the same direction (can't recall the medical term he used). He did a quick test where I followed his finger around with my eyes and he seemed to think that one was off or slower or whatever. He went on to tell me that I'd have to live with it and that there was nothing he could do for me short of getting a prism or corrective surgery. He thinks that I've always had this and just haven't noticed it due to my astigmatism and now that I see "clearly" I'm noticing it.
At the time it seemed like a plausible explanation however now that I've had some time to think about it, it doesn't sound right at all. The one hole in his theory is that when I close one eye the double vision does not go away. If in fact my eyes weren't pointed in the same direction and was causing the double vision then I would think that closing one eye would eliminate the double vision- which is not the case at all. I would also think that if he was correct I should be experiencing the double vision from my glasses to the same level as my contacts when my contacts are much worse. He didn't even bother to to a contact lens check. I was hoping to get some other opinions from the forum, and am seriously considering getting a second opinion from another doctor in town.

Your doctor is talking about Diplopia. A increase in vision in the poorer eye can suddenly show diplopia, which before was un-noticed. In spectacles, prism is the usual route to fix this. However if you have double vision with just the one eye, I would agree with your assumption, closing one eye ought to make diplopia from two eyes dissapear whilst the one eye was coverered or closed.

I would expect the diplopia to be worse in contacts as opposed to spectacles, as there will be no prism in your contact lenses, where as there could be prism in your spectacles

There could be a couple of problems here - do you get the double vision if you cover up one of your spectacle lenses?

Sometimes if a contact lens is a poor fit, too small, or has just moved, you will get double vision or ghosting from the one eye. Does the ghosting improve (in the one eye) if you blink? In this instance - you are basically looking through the wrong part of the contact lens, and a simple change in design or fit may solve the issue. To be fair, astigmatic contact lens fits can be more challenging than a regular lens fit

[chip anderson]

If you have diploplia in one or more eyes with the fellow eye ocluded, you have either: Uncorrected astigmatism with your contacts (correctable and most likely) or your contacts are fitting so poorly that they displace and you are looking through an area far from the center of the lenses (also correctable). Fine youself someone what knows what day is doin.


Chip

[gmclella]

Thanks for the input guys.
I did a quick test with my glasses on and I still get the double vision if I cover up one lens/eye. As I mentioned before I don't seem to notice it as often with my glasses but I was able to see it in a darker room looking at the green clock on my DVD player within a few minutes of trying.

Regarding the contacts, I noticed something that might shed some light on the worse double vision. My prescription:
OD / sph +0.75 cyl -2.00 axis 092
OS / sph +0.50 cyl -1.75 axis 088
calls for a 092 axis for OD and 088 for OS but when I look at my contact lens (Coopervision Encore toric) box they are both axis 090. I'm guessing this is because they aren't available in the exact axis yet so this is the closest for both eyes but the 2 degrees difference could potentially be why the double vision is more noticeable with my contacts.

I still plan on going for a second opinion as soon as I can get in - hopefully that will shed some more light on this.

[chip anderson]

The 2 degree difference should present no problem. The problem is that the lens must "line up" properly on your eye. Your lens may orient other than straignt up and down on your eye due to the shape of your eye and or the configuration of your lids. A competent fitter should be able (have this checked after your lenses have been on your eye for a while, not just after putting them in) to see these deviations in a slit-lamp biomicroscope (this is one reason why one should never just get the precription and then trot to Wally~Mart or 1800Contacts and get a box marked correctly. The fitter should check the fit after the lenses have been worn (this is why we get "trial lenses). In some cases the trial lenses will sit well when dispensed and I we re-check a week or two later they will not be sitting correctly.

Another pearl, is that people with an Rx like yours (where the cylinder is higher than the sphere power) are much more prone to be unhappy with or require more "tweeking" of the the contact lens Rx and fit. I have also found that people with hyperopia (+ sphere power) are prone to have what I call "latent hyperopia) which means they relax thier accomodation after a period of wear and require more + power than was origionally indicated.

Chip

[eyegirl]

gmclella,

You have mentioned seeing double with one eye occluded. Is the double vision in the right eye, the left eye, or both eyes have it, when one is covered?

[gmclella]

I've noticed the double vision/ ghosting when I have both eyes open, as well as when I close either eye (so it would appear that wearing glasses or contacts causes the double vision with just one eye and both eyes together). Things seem to be worse the further the object is as the double vision makes it increasingly difficult to focus on. It's possible the latent hyperopia that Chip mentioned might also be contributing to this. I find things are much clearer with my glasses on than without them for my short range vision.

Chip- I believe I undestand what axis means now. Essentially the 2 degrees difference in axis on my contacts would mean that they would be slightly off from what my optimum sharpness could be. So it shouldn't cause double vision, just minimally less sharp vision. Do I have this right? Your point about having them examine the contact lens after it has been on the eye for awhile is a good one. They had examined the lens a few minutes after I had put it in and it was also after several failed attempts so I'm sure my eye was slightly irritated on top of a possible bad fit. Last time I was in they told me to go back with them in while I'm still on the trials (which shouldn't be a problem since they drive me nuts and I hardly wear them)

[Steve Machol]

Thread closed. You will need to see your eyecare professional in person for further assistance. We cannot treat you via these forums.