Double vision looking to the far left only for ten years. Is it hopeless or serious?

Once again, I urge you to see your ophthamologist now rather than asking the collective to give you irresponsible, unqualified or really dangerous advice.

What will you allow him to do? Am I supposed to know how to answer that?

My answer today is the same as last week.

If I were you, I would:

1. Tell an ophthalmologist all about it, and see what the Doctor says.

2. Quit being snaaky trying to see out of the corner of your eye, but turn your head towards what you are hoping to see.

^^^^ I have to turn my entire upper body to see to the left. Just turning my head all the way and everything is doubled.

Given that added information, if it bothers you, perhaps you need to see a neurologist. It sounds like something happening to your optic nerve when you turn your head.

Thank you, @zenvelo . If neurologists attempt to “cure” double vision with surgery I’m not interested. I read that surgery has a poor success rate. If , however, an opthamoloigist offers eye exercises or special glasses I’d be interested. I have to do more research but will go to an eye specialist soon.

I would see an opthamologist, sounds like you are planning to. If it has stayed the same for 10 years I assume it won’t suddenly get much worse, but I am no authority on the subject, I know very little about it. If there are exercises you can do to help the condition or better ensure it won’t get worse, then better sooner than later I say. It sounds like it could be the muscle in the eye? Let us know what the doctor says. If he suggests surgery you certainly don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. Just maybe ask if avoiding surgery now might mean later if it gets worse it will become inoperable.

GA to @zenvelo for spelling the word right.

Wow, I have been spelling it wrong all along. I’m going to blame having great vision for most of my life. Thanks @Jeruba for pointing it out.

@Aster “I read that surgery has a poor success rate.”

Not to be a complete dick, but how the hell would you fucking know that? You don’t even know what’s wrong with you yet, so how can you possibly claim to know the success rate for a treatment? Where are you getting your facts? There is a lot of misinformation on the internet, so I would be very careful about making health decisions based on what you read.

Go talk to a Doctor. If you don’t like that one, go find another one. If you don’t like that one find another one. At no point does random crap on the internet become a better source than someone who has dedicated their lives to helping sick people get better, sworn an oath to do no harm, spent their entire careers studying the very problem you’re facing and is physically examining you, considering your unique physiology and medical history in making health recommendations.

What do you think Doctors do during the 11 years after high school where they dedicate their lives towards earning their MD? Sure there are lousy doctors out there, but by-and-large they are great people, who work hard to help others, and know their stuff. I hope you can find one who you click with.

I read it on WebMd or medicine.net .
Do chemo and radiation “do no harm?” How about vaccinations?

@Jeruba:And me.

@Aster: Does death trump chemo and radiation in your book?

@gailcalled I am not siding with @Aster but sometimes radiation and chemo do unnecessary harm. There have been protocols of chemo and radiation that after giving it to many many people later medical science finds it had done more harm than good. Not always the case of course. I can understand when people are afraid of doctors and don’t trust what is recommended, it is very stressful for the patient, I am sure you can understand.

How many women took HRT because their doctors believed it was helpful, healthful? Doctors all too often embrace the new medical “discovery” or standard of care. My husband had gone to the doctor at one point and his doctor recomended a medicine for a condition he had, which my husband chose not to take at the time. He went back several months later and said he wanted to try it and the doctor said he no longer prescribes it, because it was found to be inneffective. All that within a years time. I am always fascinated when people have a condition, follow what the doctor says, get 100% better with little to know side effects, and stay better for what seems to be the rest of their lives. My only experience like that is things like strep throat, and even with that I had an ENT who wanted to take out my tonsils when I was in my late teens, but an Infectious Disease doctor gave me an antibiotic that finally worked because he didn’t like the idea of surgery as much as I didn’t. I was cared for at a teaching hospital, they love to do surgery.

@JLeslie: I am not equating HRT (another topic entirely, as are vaccinations) with chemo and radiation and speak (as I always) do only from my personal experience and those of my friends.

I am well aware of your unhappy experiences with the medical profession, and you have my sympathies.

@gailcalled Well, I don’t see why HRT can’t be thrown in with eye surgery, chemo, radiation, and any other medical treatment that was being practiced regularly then later discarded or protocols changed because it did more harm than good. I was just trying to show some empathy for the OP’s reluctance, even though I myself advised her to see a specialist. You seemed to be just calling her an idiot without saying that directly.

^^ Please do not put words into my mouth.

No one relishes seeing a MD for what might be a serious medical condition but avoiding it for a decade might not be considered good for your health, either.

@gailcalled: sorry, darlin’—look again.

@gailcalled You know what, you certainly were not the only one being very critical, other jellies were much more abrasive than you. Ignore my response.

@Jeruba : Oops. I got the phth correct but the alm wrong.

It’s a tough one. I wonder how many ophthalmologists struggle with it.

The ones who did not study classical Greek, I guess.