Double Vision & Prism Glasses
Seeing double? Prism glasses can help.
Double vision makes reading, driving and even walking down stairs hard, and it often comes with headaches and eye strain. When both eyes don’t point at exactly the same spot, the brain receives two images. Prism lenses bend light so the two images line up again. Dr. Tumolo, an optometrist and licensed optician, sees double vision patients personally at our Odessa and East Lake (Palm Harbor) offices.
How we fix double vision
- Find the cause. We first check whether the double vision is in one eye or only with both eyes open, and look for eye health causes. Covering one eye is a simple clue: if the double goes away, the eyes are misaligned.
- Measure the misalignment. We measure how far and in which direction the eyes are off, horizontally, vertically or both, and how it changes when you look in different directions.
- Try a temporary Fresnel prism first. A thin, flexible press-on prism goes on your current glasses so you can see whether the double becomes single in real life, at home, at work and while driving. We adjust the power until it does.
- Grind the prism into your new lenses. Once the right amount is confirmed, we build it into your glasses for clearer, thinner, better-looking lenses, made by our partner labs and fitted by our licensed opticians.
- Follow up. We check that the double vision and headaches are gone and fine-tune if needed.
If tests suggest a nerve, brain or thyroid cause, we refer you to the right specialist and keep working on your glasses alongside them.
Who we see
We see adults with new or long-standing double vision, patients referred by other eye doctors and physicians (see for referring doctors), and people whose prism glasses from somewhere else never felt right (see second opinions on glasses). Prism can also be combined with progressive lenses.
Sudden double vision is an emergency
- New double vision that starts suddenly, especially with a drooping eyelid, headache, weakness, numbness, trouble speaking or a dizzy spell, can be a sign of a stroke or other serious problem. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
- Double vision after a head injury also needs same-day emergency care.
Common questions
What causes double vision?
Double vision with both eyes open usually means the eyes aren’t lined up, which can come from eye muscle imbalance, nerve problems, thyroid eye disease, a stroke or simply aging. Double or ghost images in only one eye usually come from the eye itself, such as dry eye, astigmatism, keratoconus or a cataract.
How do prism glasses work?
A prism bends light before it reaches the eye, so the image lands where that eye is actually pointing. With the right amount, the brain sees one image again.
What is a Fresnel prism?
A thin, flexible press-on prism that sticks to the inside of your current glasses. We use it first to prove the prism works for you before building it into new lenses.
Will prism glasses help my headaches?
For many patients, yes. Headaches and eye strain often come from the constant effort of holding two images together, and they usually ease once the double vision is corrected.
Can prism go in progressive lenses or sunglasses?
Yes. Prism can be added to single-vision, progressive and prescription sunglass lenses.
Related: complex prescriptions · headaches and eye strain · sudden vision changes
Odessa (813) 926-5993 · East Lake (727) 242-8388