Ongoing Ghosting Vision

[Jsteh22]

I am a 31 year old male who has had ghosting vision in each eye for 5 months now. It is especially bad when I go out at night. Taillights of cars are doubled and so are stop signs and speed limit signs. I will also see ghosting with any white text on a black background. I have had an MRI just to find out that everything is normal. I have been to a neurologist and multiple ophthalmologists the last one being one that specialized with the cornea. I have had a cornea topography done, have had my eyes dialated to check for cataracts. I’ve been told that everything is normal, from my cornea to my retina. I have very mild astigmatism and I have been told my eyes are not dry. My vision is 20/20 yet I still experience ghosting on a daily basis. There are days I try my hardest to ignore it  but it’s hard to when it’s obvious at night. If my eyes are “very healthy” as I’ve been told then how could I ever start experiencing ghosting. I am starting to feel hopeless and have started to accept that this is something that I will just have to barter with the rest of my life. Any help will be appreciated

[pop888]

Hi there have you found out what is causing your ghosting glare Starbursts,,,I have exactly the same symptoms and been to many doctors sat all the tests apart from the MRI... really frustrating problem.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

This is a common complaint and there are many, many postings like this. If you have 'mild astigmatism" that alone could cause your symptoms. You would need to start with wearing glasses, at least at night that have a correction for the astigmatism, they should antiglare coating.  That is the absolute start, if you haven't done that you have not taken even the first step.  Let me know if you have glasses for 'the mild astigmatism"  

[Jsteh22]

I took your advice and was able to get some prescribed glasses. They help with driving at night.
As for the ghosting, I barely see any change. It is especially bad at this time where I see ghosting with all the Christmas lights. This has never happened in my life.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

All the testing you have done would seem to exclude something that is sight threatening or life threating.  The only two suggestions I could make would be to try Alphagan-P at night it prevents dilations of the pupil and that has helped some people.  use the brand name not the generic bromonidine.  Also see an optometrist that specializes in contact lens. Have a repeat corneal topogrphy and try fitting with a toric soft contact lens or a gas permeable contact.  

[Jsteh22]

Thank you so much!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Let us know how this works or doesn't work

[Jsteh22]

I will have a follow up appointment soon. I have more inquiry, the last ophthalmologist had no idea what the cause of this was: when I looked through the pinhole halos go away and things appear as clearer however I will see multiple images of the same thing.  If I move the occluded, the multiple images will also move. If I have it “just right” I will be able to see one clear image.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Read about the 'pinhole effect' This is a good start:  https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/article/a-peek-at-the-pinhole    The fact that you can clear it with pinhole, as the article says, indicates it is more likely optical rather than a disease (pathological). Since glasses don't take care of the problem these would still be my suggestions:  The only two suggestions I could make would be to try Alphagan-P at night it prevents dilations of the pupil and that has helped some people.  use the brand name not the generic bromonidine.  Also see an optometrist that specializes in contact lens. Have a repeat corneal topogrphy and try fitting with a toric soft contact lens or a gas permeable contact.