Is it MG?
 

I’m 33 and have had a problem with double vision for 5 years now. It is on and off- the very first episode was a week or so at most before fully resolving. Then a few months later I had it for a couple of months. 5 years of this. The longest I went without any vision problems was for about a year in the middle.

The double vision is caused by eye movement problems in one or both eyes, which have manifested slightly differently each time. E.g not being able to move eyes onwards or outwards or both. Currently my left eye can only move a little bit to the left and right, while my right eye can look right but not left. I have patched my left eye to prevent double vision.

I have been through lots of tests, particularly in the first 6-12 months: blood, spinal, MRI, CT, physical examination etc. Nothing has been found. The doctor I am seeing thinks MG despite mestinon not doing anything and not having any other signs of it. When my eyes are bad, they are pretty consistent- it’s the same from when I wake up to when I go to bed. Sometimes over weeks the particular presentation might slowly change but it’s usually consistent and certainly not variable hour to hour or day to day.

I don’t really feel my doctor listens or understands it, and I’ve been unfortunate in that most of the time I have seen him my eyes have been ok, or at least not as severely bad as they are now for example.

I wanted to ask sufferers of MG if this sounds like it. I thought as a muscle weakness it was meant to be worse at the end of the day and the variability was on that sort of time period. Does it effect some people for weeks at a time throughout the day and then they recover for weeks at a time?

Hi doublevision

Welcome to NeuroTalk :).

I am sorry to read about your eye problems.

Getting a referral to an experienced ophthalmologist
could help you.

Best wishes.

Do you have Ptosis, drooping of the upper eyelids? or nystagmus? oscillatory eye movements when looking in different directions and holding that gaze? These are more typical presentations of MG.

Doublevision: I was diagnosed with General Myasthenia Gravis in November of 2017. I searched for over a year until I found a Neurologist who referred me to a Neuro-muscular specialist at Weill Cornell Medical Center New York City. Blurred or double vision has been one of my symptoms that centers around how tired I am and varies from day to day. Although I had many MG symptoms it wasn't until the Neuro-muscular specialist had blood work done that checked the Acetylcholine levels in my blood. It is my experience that a General MD may not have a clue about these types of tests(There are others Now) that will confirm an MG patient in 80 to 90% of cases. I now am prescribed Pyridostigmine and Prednisone and can drive again depending on the day. Find a good Neurologist(Neuromuscular Specialist) at, Weill Cornell, NYC, Cleaveland Clinic, Duke University, Mayo Clinic, or University of Pennsylvania. God Bless you.

Thank you for the replies everyone.

I have seen a neurologist, ophthalmologist and currently a neuro-ophthalmologist.

I will bring up that test with him, I’m not sure off the top of my head if it’s one I’ve already had. Not sure when I will see him. Last time was in October and he scheduled in a 6 month catch-up appointment but these appointments are rough guidance (he is in demand and more urgent cases get priority) so not heard anything yet.

I’m in the UK

Double Vision - I am from Australia - I first experienced double vision last September, 2020, shortly thereafter both eyelids closed - my specialist eye surgeon placed ice packs over eyelids and when removed ten minutes later both eyelids were wide open - a rough in surgery test for MG - Blood test later confirmed diagnosis - if your eyelids didn't close perhaps you myasthenia is not as bad as others - do you experience other symptoms - some people with MG only are affected around the eyes, unfortunately, I seem to have symptoms generally - Mestinon should help but it depends on strength used and in my case and sparky they used steroids as well to surpress the immune system

Welcome doublevision.:Wave-Hello: