Cross eyed - diplopia

[JDG45]

Hello. I am on W&W for over 2 years with no symptoms except about 4 months ago I started going cross eyed (diplopia) late at night. If I strain I can get the images to fuse. Now it has developed to occur much earlier in the day. My optomologist says my right eye is having trouble tracking and won't write a lens prescription since the condition is not stable. This is allergy season and I seem to be sensitive to the current pollens. Antibiotic eye drops will stop the wandering eye for an hour or two but they say not use more the 2X/day. I am waiting for an appointment at Dana Farber through my hemotologist there to have it checked out. Has anyone had a similar condition?

[DRM18]

Hi JDG45,

Hmm. About 3 years ago, I started developing diplopia too. This was right around the time I was diagnosed with CLL.

I've been variously tested, scanned, MRI'd, spinal tapped, etc., all tests turning up nothing (so far). It's a mystery, to me, to my doctors, to my ophthalmologists.

It's a bother, no doubt. Every year, I've needed a new prescription, meaning more potent prisms in my lenses.

You might ask for a Fresnel sticker to be put on a lens of your glasses; they degrade clarity a bit, but mostly fix diplopia, and can be removed anytime. If you "stabilize" (in quotes because I myself have not), they might then grind the prism into your lenses. But you might then need new prism lenses every year.

Anyhow, feel free to message me if you want to discuss this more!

--Dave!

[JDG45 in reply to DRM18]

Thanks for your reply Dave. Does the diplopia ever come and go during the day?

[DRM18 in reply to JDG45]

It used to, when it was a new phenomenon. Now it's constant(ly annoying).

[JDG45]

Did eyedrops have any effect on your vision?

[hazelview10]

I had onset of diplopia about 4 years ago which coincided with muscular fatigue. The diagnosis was an autoimmune neurological disorder called myasthenia gravis. There was some suggestion that it was related to the CLL and was initially treated with steroids. Further treatment was interestingly rituximab which has given me a couple of years relief, but not a cure, and hasn’t done the CLL any harm either! I am still taking steroids and obviously prisms in my spectacles helps. The diagnosis rests on a blood test for acetyl choline receptor antibodies.Good luck, John

[JDG45 in reply to hazelview10]

I'd be interested to know if it started with diplopia coming and going with it being better in the morning? Was it in both eyes?

[hazelview10]

Hi, yes always better in the morning and the diplopia much worse on looking either right or left. Also drooping eye lids by the end of the day. I used to have difficulty in keeping my eyes open in the evening. The general muscle fatigue came on later. Treatment is reasonably good but myasthenia, like CLL, is not curable. I hope you can exclude this.

[janvog]

Ten years ago, I suddenly had double vision. I would have seen two of you standing side by side. About 3 days in the hospital: 4th left cranial nerve neuropathy. Diagnosed by neurologist. After wearing an eye patch a few days, the condition vanished. Since just a slight tendency for double vision while laying flat in bed and looking with my eyes cocked at an extreme angle to the TV on a high stand. It may be beneficial for general eye health to engage in some eye exercises to strengthen muscles.