Double vision

[Canygirl61]

Hi All,

I was just texting my daughter when my vision went double— like the text had a background text slightly shadowing it. It’s only apparent when looking at text in screen or paper, not the large objects in my field of vision. Not sure what to do. It’s Saturday, which means none of my doctors are available. Anyone experience this?

Thanks in advance for your response.

[ZiggyDiego]

It is a bit alarming when your vision changes and I hope it hasn't got any worse - if it has then A&E will be able to track you into the emergency eye clinics. I get double vision as a side effect of prednisolone. I would get it checked out anyway next week if it's new to you and check your eyes for any redness. And it's a bit annoying!

[Canygirl61 in reply to ZiggyDiego]

Thanks ZiggyDiego. It didn’t get worse and has subsided. I live in the US, and always reluctant to visit the emergency room (as we call it here). I’ve been on the same very low dose of prednisone since February, so it’s doubtful that is the cause. After things calmed down, I researched double vision with Wegeners (GPA) and read that it can be part of the symptoms. I’m going to be starting Rituxan soon, but before I do, my rheumatologist wants me to consult with a hematologist (scheduled this week).

Thanks again!

Canygirl61

[BronteM]

Hi, that sounds nasty. My vision was doing this before I was diagnosed and I went to see my optician who wasn’t too worried - he thought it was a migraine. Some months on, the vasculitis clinic told me that I should have been treated as an emergency. If you are on prednisone, I should take an extra dose and contact someone first thing on Monday.

[Canygirl61 in reply to BronteM]

Hi BronteM,

Don’t get me started on migraines! I was diagnosed with Migraine Associated Vertigo and was given every migraine medication under the sun— to no avail. It was my eye doctor who became suspicious of an autoimmune disease and made a referral for me to see a rheumatologist. My damaged vestibular system is likely from GPA, not migraine I’ll contact the doctor Monday.

Thanks for responding!

Canygirl61

[BronteM in reply to Canygirl61]

Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you had a migraine - just that in my case I missed the chance of an earlier Vasculitis diagnosis because I believed the optician. The vasculitis specialist that I saw eventually pointed out the serious implications of ignoring visual problems if you have vasculitis and told me that anything to do with your sight should always be treated as soon as possible. I hope you get good help tomorrow.

[Canygirl61 in reply to BronteM]

Oh, not to worry! I didn’t think you were implying that it was migraine. I was commiserating with you

Thanks for your encouragement!

[PMRpro]

Do you have any other symptoms? Of any sort.

[Canygirl61 in reply to PMRpro]

Dear PMRpro,

In addition to my regular “laundry list,” I’ve been battling scratchy throat with irritated upper airway and unproductive cough. I thought I had caught a cold, but this is not progressing like one. I’m going to call my doctor tomorrow.

Thanks for responding!

Canygirl61

[PMRpro in reply to Canygirl61]

I think that is a very good idea - what you describe COULD be due to vasculitis interfering with normal blood flow. OTOH - it might be nothing. But visual symptoms always make me twitchy.

[Canygirl61 in reply to PMRpro]

It was very disorienting— ugh!

[jenn842]

I don't have a diagnosis yet, but my rheumatologist suspects EGPA. I am currently dealing with double vision issues as well. For me, if I look straight ahead I'm fine but if I try to look down at all it becomes double vision. This seems to happen every time I flare up even a little bit. I went to my eye doctor the first time it started and he said that I have orbital inflammation. They had me increase my steroids. (I also have lupus, Addison's disease, Graves disease and several other autoimmune diseases so I'm already on prednisone and Cellcept).

[Balderick]

I have had times where I see double or triple. It seems to be in the vertical areas plus I’ve been rushed into the hot clinic when I’ve had parts of text disappear & it was very frightening indeed so I do understand your worry. I was scared witless but, god willing, it’s not happened since I started the rituxan. No one has been able to fully explain why this happened and I still worry about it. My eyesight was deteriorating badly but again it seems to have settled since the infusions.

I hope you get an explanation that can put your mind at peace

B