Double Vision after a Car Accident – What Does it Mean?
Double Vision after a Car Accident – What Does it Mean?
Double vision, also known as diplopia, is a common symptom that can occur after a car accident. When someone has diplopia, they are seeing double, or two images of a single object that are overlaid with each other. Usually, this is a temporary issue that may last for up to a few weeks. However, it’s essential to see an optometrist right away, as double vision can indicate a serious health condition like brain injury or nerve damage. Other symptoms of diplopia include:
- Pain around the eyes (in the eyebrows or temples, for example) or pain when moving the eyes
- Misalignment of the eyes, i.e., being cross-eyed or having a wandering eye
- Dizziness / nausea
- Headaches
- Loss of balance
- Droopy eyelids
- Bulging eye
If you have been in a car accident, there are many injuries you can sustain, and some of these issues are not obvious right away. Because double vision from an accident is so common, people tend to brush off these incidents and avoid seeing a doctor. This can be detrimental to your health, and not just because of what can be happening with your vision. There’s a good chance that you have injuries in other parts of your body, and waiting too long for treatment can cause permanent complications.
With early intervention, an eye care professional can diagnose the exact issue you are suffering from and recommend the right course of treatment. In some cases, a program of eye exercises, known as neuro-optometric rehabilitation, can help with double vision following a car accident. You may also need special glasses with prism lenses, which redirects the light before it enters your eyes. If prism lenses do not help, you may need strabismus surgery, also known as eye muscle surgery.
Those who were injured in an accident due to another driver’s failure to exercise reasonable care have the right to seek compensation for the harm they suffered. For a free case review to learn about your rights and legal options, contact our law firm.
Having diplopia after an auto accident is a common occurrence, and for some people, the problem goes away yon its own. But others will continue to experience double vision and other symptoms that are signs of a serious injury, such as:
- Traumatic brain injury –The blunt force trauma from a car crash can cause your brain to hit the inside of the skull. That can cause misalignment of the eyes, or an inability of the brain to combine images from each eye to create a singular image. Hence, the victim ends up with double vision or another condition that affects their ability to see things clearly.
- Optic nerve damage – Trauma to the head can result in a buildup of pressure inside the skull. This can damage the optic nerve, which is responsible for transmitting electrical impulses between the eyes and the brain.
- Corneal abrasion – The clear surface of the eyes, known as the cornea, may be injured by shattered glass, chemicals from an airbag, and other foreign substances during a car accident.
- Retinal Detachment – The retina is the tissue at back of the eyes that processes visual information. During an accident involving trauma to the head, the retina can detach or pull away from its normal position. Please note this is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
These are just some of the eye injuries that may be associated with double vision, so please get to a hospital right away if you have been in a car accident. Without treatment within the first 48 hours, you could end up with permanent vision loss, reduced vision, and other symptoms that compromise your ability to work, drive, shop for groceries, and other essential tasks.
Including Diplopia in a Car Accident Injury ClaimThere are many causes of double vision aside from being in a car accident, and it’s estimated that around 800,000 people go to an optometrist every year because they are having some form of diplopia. With that in mind, it can be challenging to make a case for double vision and the injuries normally associated with diplopia after an auto accident.
Quite often, insurance companies will insist that your vision issues have nothing to do with the accident. This is particularly true if you already have eye problems that compromise your vision, like nearsightedness, farsightedness, dry eye syndrome, or migraines. By trivializing your condition and telling you that diplopia can’t factor into a car accident claim, the company is trying to reduce the amount they have to pay you, and sadly, many victims fall for this tactic.
The personal injury lawyers of DTLA are here to fight for you and the compensation you deserve. With decades of experience in car accident lawsuits, you can count on us to build a strong case against the negligent driver. For more information on suing for diplopia and other problems with your vision, call us to schedule a free consultation.
The statute of limitations for a car accident case in California is 2 years, so that’s how long you have for a lawsuit, starting from the date of injury. However, there may be circumstances that shorten or lengthen the amount of time you have for a lawsuit. For example, you only have 6 months to file an injury claim if the driver that caused the accident works for the government. Or, you may have had a car accident on the highway due to Caltran’s failure to maintain the roads.
It’s essential to verify the exact amount of time you have for a lawsuit, which we can help you with here at DTLA Law Group.
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