Double the Fun with Diplopia

Say it ain’t so, Joe! Not diplopia! Oh no!

Diplopia is a fancy word for a simple problem, double vision. And, although it might seem kind of fun to be able to see two of everything, I can attest that it is much less ‘fun’ than I anticipated. I thought it would be great to have the ability to create my own Double Mint twins whenever I wanted, but that joy ended quickly.

How does one get diplopia?

It appears that my diplopia is likely caused by irritation or swelling from radiation treatment on one of my original brain tumors, located in the brain stem. The swelling is stretching my sixth cranial nerve, also known as the abducens nerve for all you physiology fans out there. Here is some info on the nerve and the typical problems with it (see the Clinical Syndromes section for a fascinating discussion on diplopia). My double vision hit me while on our recent vacation to Disneyland.

For now, we will wait to see if the swelling eventually subsides and the double vision corrects itself. Otherwise, we may eventually treat the problem with steroids, which can reduce brain swelling and hopefully solve the problem.

Lucky for me, my double vision seems to impact me more over short distances than long distances. So, I can drive, workout, and go to the movies without a problem, but reading can be an issue. For now, I just close one eye when reading and, poof, problem solved. I did purchase a standard issue pirate eye patch that I can wear if it is a problem long term. Now I just need to acquire a pirate hat to complete the ensemble. Ahoy me bucko. No quarter from me, you Landlubber.