Problems with blurry and ghosting vision?!
Question: I have been to several doctors over the years and nobody can explain to me why I get "ghosting vision" and starbursts in medium to low lighting. Basically there are fainted images superimposed above and slightly to the left of the kitchen LED clock while I'm in dim lighting. I have never had lasik and my eyes are only relatively dry. I thought it may be astigmatism, but I just got new glasses that only helped a little bit. Do I need to request a topography to check out the surface of my eyes? I am sick of Md's telling me to try eye drops or telling me they don't know what is wrong with my eyes. Anybody else have had a similar experience or knows what I should do?
Answers: I have been to several doctors over the years and nobody can explain to me why I get "ghosting vision" and starbursts in medium to low lighting. Basically there are fainted images superimposed above and slightly to the left of the kitchen LED clock while I'm in dim lighting. I have never had lasik and my eyes are only relatively dry. I thought it may be astigmatism, but I just got new glasses that only helped a little bit. Do I need to request a topography to check out the surface of my eyes? I am sick of Md's telling me to try eye drops or telling me they don't know what is wrong with my eyes. Anybody else have had a similar experience or knows what I should do?
You don't say whether it's the same in both eyes, or only present when you use two eyes together: that would start to narrow the possible causes down.
Also whether effect was reduced when looking through a 1mm pinhole.
If due to an irregular cornal surface, the effect should be different in each eye, and be detectable by a topographic scan, though normal keratometry and slit-lamp examination with fluorescein will often show the problem.
If the difficulty is sited there, rigid gas permeable lenses offer an obvious possibility for relief.
If the problem is deeper in the cornea, or in the crystalline lens, or the retina, or neural processing, the RGP lenses won't help, but everything will depend on exact findings.
Normally I'd consider the front of the cornea the prime suspect, unless I could see a trace of cataract on ophthalmoscopy or retinoscopy, or a "wrinkle" in the retina at the macula.
Make sure that you write down your symptoms when this occurs.
It's possible that it could be an underlying problem (i.e. Diabetes, Blood Pressure). Write down what you ate and what the activity was you were doing when it happened.
I say what you ate because of possibly being an underlying problem.
Sometimes we can't find the right words to say to the doc when we get there, so it's also a good idea to surf the Web for sites that contain the same information on this issue, and write what sounds or feels familiar with your experiences.
A Corneal Topography couldn't hurt.
A condition that ppl on here dont talk about with eye problems is herpes of the eyes or optical herpes this can cause sensitivity to light and scarring which leads to blurred vision i might not be right but its worth getting it checked out
Do you have naturally heavy or puffy eyelids? If so, they may press on the cornea and temporarily change its curvature, producing the ghosting images. It's something to consider if other potential causes have been eliminated. If this is the cause, the cure is minor plastic surgery to make the eyelids a bit less heavy.
Also, you don't mention whether the ghosting is constant or intermittent, and this could be useful information for speculating on possible causes.
I'm not sure about the blurring but I had ghosting as you describe it when my glasses were not properly installed in the frames (one lens was placed in the lends slightly deeper than the other). I have serious near sightedness so the small adjustment made a difference. If you have contact wear them regularly and see if the ghosting appears again. If not its your glasses.
The likely possibilities are
1.Large pupils.Most are about 7mm,but any bigger will give starburst effect.
2.Dry eye - Unlikely as you are complaining of the problem in dim light when your pupils dilate.Dry eye should not happen in dim light.
3.Come and check your pupil size.
Dr.Yeoh Phee Liang
Consultant Eye Surgeon for
Advance Vision Eye Specialist Centre