Are You Seeing Double? Are You Seeing Double?

Double vision, also known as Diplopia, is the simultaneous perception of two images of a single object. The displacement of the image may be horizontally, vertically, or diagonally and should not be confused with blurred vision, which is when an individual sees a single unclear image.

Patients may find they have double vision occasionally, or in other cases, all of the time. Temporary double vision may be caused by alcohol intoxication, concussions, tiredness, or a side effect to certain drugs. Permanent double vision requires deeper investigation as there are two major types of double vision, binocular double vision and monocular double vision. Let’s take a closer look at both.

Binocular double vision is when a patient’s eyes are not perfectly aligned. In other words, the eyes point at slightly different angles, resulting in different images being sent to the brain. The brain does not recognize the images to be similar enough to create a single, clear image, so it creates two images. Binocular double vision is most often caused by a squint due to a weakened or paralyzed eye muscle. Other causes of binocular double vision may be thyroid disease, arterial disease, diabetes, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, an aneurysm, blood clots, a stroke, cancer, or head injury.

Monocular double vision is less common than binocular double vision and is caused by abnormalities to parts of the eye including the cornea, iris, lens, vitreous humor and aqueous humor. Astigmatism, cataracts, dry eyes, swelling in the eye lids, or a dislocated lens usually result in monocular double vision.

Whether it be occasionally or often, it’s important to see your optometrist to diagnose the issue. We encourage you to give us a call to set up an appointment to discuss tests and treatment options that will have you seeing clearly again.

Shape Up: Find The Best Frames for Your Face

Choosing the perfect eyeglass frames can be much harder than you think, as there are several factors to consider. Style, shape, color, and material all play important roles, but determining your face shape is the key to making the right decision.

Most people fall into four face shape categories: heart, round, square, and oval. Let’s break down each face shape to learn which frames will suit you best.

Heart-Shaped Faces
Heart-shaped faces resemble the shape of heart in that the widest part of the face is at the top and the narrowest part is at the bottom. Characteristics to look for include a wide forehead, high cheekbones, and a narrow/pointed chin.

The best frame shapes for heart-shaped faces include rectangle, round, oval, wayfarer, aviator, and square. Styles you’ll want to stay away from include embellished, top heavy, and wide top frames.

Round-Shaped Faces
Just like the name sounds, round-shaped faces are circular, full, and without strong lines and angles. Round-shaped faces will have a wide forehead, full cheeks, and a rounded chin.

Round-shaped faces can pull off several styles including rectangle, square, cat-eye, wayfarer, aviator, and wrap/shield frames. It’s best to stay away from round or oversized frames.

Square-Shaped Faces
Square-shaped faces typically have strong jawlines and facial features defined by strong angles. Square-shape face features include a wide forehead, broad cheeks, and a boxy jawline.

Rectangle, square, cat-eye, wayfarer, aviator, and wrap/shield frames are the most flattering frames for square-shaped faces; while boxy, oval, and heavy brow frames should be avoided.

Oval-Shaped Faces
Oval-shaped faces are very balanced and create the ideal shape for most frames. Oval-shaped faces have a narrow forehead, high cheek bones, and a narrow chin.

Recommended frame styles for oval-shaped faces include rectangle, round, square, cat-eye, wayfarer, and aviator. Oversized frames are the only style oval faces should shy away from.

Once you’ve identified your face shape, play around with the recommended styles in different colors and materials. When you plan to choose your frames at our office, we recommend bringing a family member or friend to provide feedback when you try frames on. And trust your gut. Only you can exude the confidence to rock the frames you love!

Nearsighted vs. Farsighted

If you find yourself squinting to see street signs, the computer screen at work or a picture hanging across the room, it’s likely you are nearsighted. Maybe you have to hold a book far away to read it, have trouble reading the fine print on medicine labels or reading a map. If that’s the case, it’s likely you are farsighted.

To put it simply, nearsightedness is when a person can see better close up than far away and farsightedness is when a person can see better far away than close up.

In normal vision, light enters the eye and is perfectly focused onto the retina, providing a clear view, no matter how near or far the object in view is located. Nearsighted vision focuses on an image before it reaches the retina, often caused when the curve of the cornea is too steep. Just the opposite, farsighted vision focuses on an image behind the retina, occurring when the cornea is too flat or the eye is too short.

Both nearsightedness and farsightedness are frustrating, interfere with daily activities and quality of life, but there is good news. Both conditions can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. The best approach can be determined by your optometrist.

Want to see clearly at any distance? Call our office today and we’ll get you setup with the appropriate corrective action before your vision continues to deteriorate. 

My First Eye Exam: What to Expect?

Whatever the reason may be, you’ve decided it’s time to visit an optometrist. Good for you! But now you’re wondering, what happens next? Here’s a basic rundown of what to expect:

Prepare. You’ve made an appointment for a reason. Be prepared with a list of questions for your optometrist. Know your (and your family’s) medical and vision history. Be open on the reason for your visit.

Test. Next, your optometrist will perform a series of tests. These tests will determine how clearly you can see, the overall health of your eyes, and your eye pressure. Depending on the type of test, your optometrist will use the following tools to assess your vision: letter charts, lights, color patterns and eye drops to dilate your pupils.

Review. Following your eye exam, your optometrist will review the results of all of the tests and provide an assessment of your vision, preventative measures, and next steps.

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to call our office to schedule your eye exam. We’re happy to answer any questions you have and look forward to seeing you soon!