Double vision after macular pucker vitrectomy

[tictactoe68]

I am a 43-year-old woman. I had a vitrectomy on January 18 to remove a macular pucker from my retina and for floaters left by a vitreous detachment. As my vision began to clear after surgery, I began seeing double.  I'm seeing separate images from each eye, but they are not "meshing" together when using both eyes. I do not have double vision when I cover either eye, it's only when I try to use my eyes together. Before surgery, my vision was distorted due to the macular pucker and I had an extremely large floater, but I was not seeing double.

My retina looks fine post-surgery and the retina specialist doesn't know why I have double vision. He sent me back to the optometrist who, after seeing me, said he believes my double vision is a processing problem. The optometrist said my vision was so compromised before the surgery that my brain can't put the images from each eye together. He prescribed prisms which I should be getting this week.

I'm trying to educate myself on what's happening and am finding little to none on "processing problems" such as mine. I'm also concerned there could be more at play here since I have Lyme disease and have a first degree relative with Grave's disease.

I'm not sure what to think. I'm trying learn more and figure out how I want to proceed. Any input is appreciated. Thank you.

[JodieJ]

Try hovering over my name and then click "send a message."
Or click my name and then click "send a message."

[Ruth1246]

Hi jodie thanks for the offer of sending me Information that would be great.I'm not so good on the computer how do I send u a personal email.
                                                                                 Thanks ruth

[JodieJ]

It's really hard to predict what's going to work in cases like ours.  The medical literature says that prisms don't work for double vision that is retinally-induced.  That's probably true in most cases.  There's a paper that reports great success by blurring vision with scotch satin tape.  (I tried this, and it made things much worse for me.  But it apparently does help some people--I'll send you the paper if you send me your email address in a private message.)  The type of correction that Dr. de Wit does using the Aniseikonia Inspector test results seems to work best when the main cause of the double vision is an image size difference between the eyes.  

Don't give up hope--I think you can come up with something that will work for you.

[Ruth1246]

Hi jodie thanks for your information much appreciated No I don 't think  the driving glasses were made to correct the image size he tried to get the images on top of one another with prisms but my brain would let this happen so he put some blurring in the middle of the lens .
I have another appt with him in Auckland on the 11th of sept . Idid take up the information on Dr De Wits aniseikonia inspector but he didn't seem very interested. I'm not sure what I should do now it's very frustrating .
                                                                                            Thanks again ruth

[JodieJ]

I'm really not knowledgeable enough about neuroadaptation to advise you.  I can only relate my own experience.  My ERM was also in my right (dominant) eye.  As the ERM was slowly and progressively distorting my vision in my right eye, my brain did "neuroadapt" by automatically screening out the distortion when I used both eyes.

I believe that double vision is a different issue.  I think that I read someplace that young children can neuroadapt by suppressing a second image, but older children and adults cannot do this and the double vision will persist.  (You could try asking one of the ophthalmologists on this forum about this issue by starting a new thread.)

Are your driving glasses made to (partially) correct the image size difference between your eyes?  If so, it sounds like the degree of correction may be insufficient.  This type of correction worked immediately for me with glasses and a contact lens.  (If your optometrist is willing, he could probably get a free trial of Dr. de Wit's Aniseikonia Inspector software.  Your test results could be used to fine tune your prescription.

The bottom line:  you've already found something that works (the cling wrap).  In your place, I'd stick with what works.      

[Ruth1246]

Hi Jodie some advice please my driving glasses arrived they do improve the double vision somewhat but not enough to drive safely there was still some doubling of cars and the road ahead was distorted with grass and trees superimposed on it a lot of the time. I contacted Ken Robinson  the opyometrist in auckland this morning he felt I should persevere so that my good eye would take over and the brain would ignore the image from my right eye which he said was my dominant eye .I now not sure that he is on the right track I have another appt with him on the 11th of sept. I did fix the problem my self in the mean time by putting two small pieces of cling wrap in the centre of thel lens I am now a bit confused if I should leave the cling wrap on or follow his advice at least around the house. I would appreciate your advice. Thanks Ruth