What's wrong with my eyesight?? Please explain..?!

What's wrong with my eyesight?? Please explain..?

I find that sometimes I notice that when looking at something, I see a slight double of it. No jokes about being drunk and seeing double please, I am sober and a little worried. I've uploaded 2 sample images for this question in order to simulate what I mean:

This is how it would normally be viewed:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/s...

and this is what it looks like to me:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v245/s...

I already know that I am a bit short-sighted, but why am I seeing a slight double of words when reading/looking? Can someone please explain why my eye is doing this, and whether this can be corrected?

1 week ago
I am only 21 years old and I do wear glasses. I use my computer often and I find my eyes are often dry since I stay up late alot. I use eye drops often as well, but perhaps I should give my eyes a break from the glare for a period and see if that helps?

I don't always have this "ghosting" problem, I noticed at times it's worse and at other times it's better.....hm...

AHH...that's what I see when my eyes are really dry...I call it ghosting.

Do you see it with one eye or the other? What happens if you cover one eye? Is this something new? or has it been going on for a while? Is it changing in any way? Are you looking straight ahead or which direction does this occur? Do you have diabetes and if so, have you ever been told you have diabetic macular edema (an ocular complication of diabetes)?

These are all questions your eye doctor will ask you.

There are many causes, including dry eyes, that can cause the double image. If you have ever been told you have astigmatism, that can cause the slight 'ghost' image if it is not currently corrected. Strabismus, the misalignment of the eyes, also causes double vision. My retinal specialists have had patients with membranes on their retinas sometimes say they see a ghost image.

The best way to find out what part of the eye is causing your ghost image is to see your eye doctor. Without someone qualified being able to actually do an eye exam on you in person, it is very difficult to say what is going on.

All of the above conditions can be treated...dry eyes with lubricating eye drops (the easiest to treat), astigmatism with a low prescription of glasses, strabismus (esotropia and exotropia are the two most common) can be corrected with prisms in your glasses or surgery if indicated, and retinal membranes or fluid with surgery or injections of medications designed to dry up the intraocular fluid.

Bottom line, for definitive answers and treatment, you need to see an optometrist who can perform a complete eye exam, inside your eye and out.

Good luck!!