Seeing shadows behind objects and text

[fb109]

Hello!
When I look at sharp objects or text, such as subtitles on the TV or on a board somewhere, I can't really see properly. I can see the actual text, but then there's this shadow behind it or something. It's the same text, only it's kind of vertically stretched out and transparent. Sometimes it's stretched more and sometimes less, sometimes there's nothing wrong at all. It gets worse when squinting, and it's worse with contrasting colours (such as white text on a dark background).
Lately, this has been happening even when wearing glasses (OS -1 and OD -0.75). I first noticed it a few months ago, but I've been noticing it more and more these past few weeks. Can this be due to intense strain on the eyes (because I need to read and use the computer quite a lot for long periods of time)? Can it get better?
I'm kind of scared because this has happened so suddenly, thought I'd ask here first instead of waiting to see ad eye doctor for 1,5 months. Really hoping someone can shed some light on what's happening.

[eikerabetian]

I had this problem a few years back, and it went away on its own, therefore I didn't pay any attention to it until it happened again. This time I had this problem for about a year and it was getting worse. I was really annoyed by this situation and even went to see a few doctors. They all said that nothing is wrong with my eyes! I was getting really frustrated and I think I have come to the answer to this problem! I used to work with the computer, so I tried to rest my eyes every 30 minutes or so for about 30-40 seconds. I also began to hydrate more and drink water at least 8 to 9 times a day. And to my understanding, one of the most important changes was to take more vitamin A! Since this problem was more evident during the night and in dark backgrounds, I began to reason it could be a problem of vitamin A deficiency! I did eat lamb liver as it has the highest amount of natural vitamin A for a couple of days, and my eyes are seeing a lot better now! I hope this could help others with the same problem.

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

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[AmyInNH]

Thank you for the reminder.  Bad habit of life-long dehydrated, and need to once again habituate to carrots, carrots, carrots.  As work and money have disappeared, so have my appointments for any/all medical, including eyes, and my glasses are getting quite old.

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

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[AmyInNH]

I am "seeing" this also.  I suspect the pupil distance used, when my glasses were made, is inaccurate.
Close one eye, move your glasses around til clear, is it better?
With one eye closed, I can see my computer screen much better, through the bottom of the lens. If I uncover the other eye, WHAM! both eyes struggling.
Long ago I had a pair of glasses specifically for computer screen, and they were perfect.
New prescriptions for the same have only produced trapezoid distortion, and now have the same symptoms as you with my progressive lenses.  Exhausted eyes, impacts all my activity - or should I say causes lack of enjoyment of activity.

[JohnHaganMD]

If you have progressive multifocal lens the computer should be better through the lower part of the lens. Straight ahead is for distance which is 20 feet or further.  If these are new glasses consider you take them in to the "doctor" (eye MD or optom) that prescribed to be sure they are ground correctly. They can also check to see if the PD (pupillary distance) is correct.  There are over a dozen variables in glasses and the prescription is just one.  Others depend on the size, shape, tilt, wrap, PD, segment height, proprietary variables from brand to brand.   Our practice does not charge to check new glasses made elsewhere except on the internet which we won't touch.  Most commercial opticians will make at least one change for comfort or clarity within 30 days.

[AmyInNH]

Lower part of the lens for computers is only practical at home with a laptop.  Lots of trouble with progressive (or other) eyeglasses at work.  We're looking through sides of the lenses, in conference rooms, for instance.  No"every 20 minutes look far away" eye rest in our tiny cube cells.  We're getting a lot of advice these days, medical and otherwise, that is not fit for purpose in the circumstances we find ourselves in.
The optician dropped the glasses into some machine that told him the lenses were correct so I'm stuck with them.  Best improvement I saw, some years back, were off the shelf  wrapped polarized sunglasses - unfortunately broken by someone's overly aggressive hug.

[JohnHaganMD]

This is a common complaint. You can use the search engine and find other discussions. The most common causes are needing glasses, glasses that are not the right RX, glasses that are out of adjustment, corneal disease including regular and irregular astimatism, cataract formation or macular disease. All of these would need to be investigated. It is not a symptom of glaucoma.

JCH MD

[MistyMae34481]

I have the same issue with seeing shadow behind letters and numbers.  It never happened before I had cataract surgery, astigmatism correction, with trifocal lens replacement.  My surgeon says my eye sight is 20/20 now he says he has never seen a patient with my symptoms.  He gave me alphagan to use when I go out at nighttime, which I understand is for glaucoma treatment. He says I don't have glaucoma!  He will be referring me to a neurologic ophthalmologist; basically its all in my head!

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

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[EMREBond]

I read the comments above and I experience same thing. I have seen my doctors and am been treated for Glaucoma. But the shadows just refuse to stop. Sometimes the eye iches more also. Why I go close to the text, mostly white text on black backgrounds the shadow tends to disappear. Is there something am not doing right. I'm on an eye drop and the drug called optic nerve. What else am I know doing right?

[JohnHaganMD]

dh19 that post is from 2012 however Twiggymarie is still active on MedHelp. Your best bet would be to go to her home page and leave a note

JCH MD

[dh19]

I have the exact same thing you described. so did new glasses helps? I can see the actual word but there's like a translucent duplicate of the word just floating a bit higher, makes the word seems fuzzy. It's only from my right eye, I went to make glasses, all my myopia and astig are below 100, and I had made 4 glasses in a span of 2yrs. However, none seems to solve the problem, so I have a feeling that maybe it's not astig at all. First specialist told me it's my glasses, but my power is so low, I don't really feel that it makes a difference. So I'm getting referred to another. Wanted to know is it fixable, if not I don't really have the spending capability to keep seeing specialists.

[Twiggymarie]

Hi, just had to reply back, I have the same thing, as to how much that is on me, I even get that when I wear glasses, I get so much the transparent thing as well, I can't see the numbers as it is on my cell phone for the time, and then I have to use a magnifying glass just to see that! one Dr. told me I had a scar on my cornea, then later on, another Dr. said I don't have a scar on my cornea anymore, then I just know that it is on my left on that I cannot see too good, it is from more than a strain, and yes I had to go to my eye Dr. and asked if it was a mild form of astigmatism, he told me he would have to check this out later on, after I can get use to my new glasses, so now I have to wait, til I cannot use these glasses, like in another month! but I do have the same things going on with my eyes as well!! I hope you'll get your eyes back to normal again!! :)

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Most likely, it is not anything serious.  It seems you have some mild astigmatism.  See  your eye doctor.

Dr. O.