A 53-year-old male contracted a mild case of COVID-19 in April of 2020. His symptoms included a fever, loss of smell, and fatigue, which he stated resolved within a few days. Approximately three weeks later, he began to experience a wide range of neurological symptoms, including numbness in the extremities and difficulty swallowing. He consulted a neurologist who started a workup for MS. All scans were negative, and the only abnormal findings were inflammatory markers in his blood tests.
In early August, the patient started to experience double vision. He stated that his left eye could not move past the midline. He had no previous vision problems. He was immediately sent to the emergency room. An MRI of the brain and orbits were unremarkable. Over the next few days, his diplopia improved but did not fully resolve.
His doctor referred him to us for evaluation in early September. We discovered a left 6th nerve palsy of 14 PD. The 6th cranial nerve controls one of the eye muscles called the lateral rectus. This muscle moves the eye out or abducts the eye. In this case, the patient’s left eye could not fully abduct. This will cause double vision in the horizontal direction. Prismatic aligning lenses were prescribed to resolve the double vision.
Thankfully, the patient’s other neurological symptoms have decreased significantly. This gives us hope that as time passes, his eye muscle restriction will be reduced. However, because COVID-19 is a new disease, we are unsure what the future will hold for this very nice gentleman.
The same thing happened to me one month ago. On Dec 9th 2020. I woke up with very bad double vision that has persisted until the present Jan 6th 2021. But i get tested for COVID 19 every month. Last negative test was two days before Christmas.
My Brain MRI was also unremarkable.
But it did state it showed small Foci and Cysts in the front of my brain.
I can give more detail if you write back.
I was told my doctor that it may heal on its own it about 3 months.
I am an essential worker.
Any thoughts.
We can not comment on an individual case. We have seen a number of cases of persistant double vision after COVID. We are unable to determine if and when diplopia will resolve post COVID.
All the best
Dear Dr. Israeloff — I have not had Covid — I did, however, get the vaccine for Covid on April 11; I woke up May 1 with double vision. It has not abated one iota, and as many others here echo it is frustrating beyond belief, particularly when the four doctors (five with the optometrist) can’t see anything radical when they test me. I have become an anti-vaxxer of the first order when it comes to the Pfizer Covid vaccine. I will go nowhere near the booster. Regards,
My double vision started right after I got well. I told my eye doctor I thought it was related. Thank you for your posts.
I have double vision after having Covid, it feels like my right eye gets cross side very hard to straighten up and was hard to drive. It’s almost been a month since I had Covid
Is your double vision go away yet? How long does it last? I got the same problem as you.
Hi I’m experiencing double vision now after covid. What did you do to disappear. Please help me. . Thanks
Please see an optometrist who specializes in binocular vision problems.
Hi doc. My neurologist gave me vitamin b 12 because according to him I got a low vitamin b 12 after covid. I have been taking the vitamin for 3 weeks I has already development although there are still times that double vision occurs. Will the vitamin B 12 totally help my double vision? How long does double vison usually disappear because of vit b12 diffeciency. Thanks
Each case is different so we can’t comment on individual cases.
All the best.
Hi, now your problem is resolved, as per the doctor. Since I am facing the same problem.
Did your doctor give you glasses?
I’ve had double vision for about 3 to 4 months now. However this occurred only if both eyes are open. I’m Bob Bergens. My email is bergens06@gmail.com. Ph is 5046695366
I have the same problem I tested positive from December 31 /2020 and after 2 weeks I have double vision problem
I was diagnosed with COVID-19 last October. Two weeks after I got over it the double vision started. They called it 6th nerve palsy. It’s the end of January and still have double vision. Just had a MRI done so am waiting for results.
Hello-
I was wondering in the case discussed above. Did the pt clear covid quickly or delayed? I have a patient that exhibiting similar issues. She has a long COVID viral expression 12/31/20 to be reassessed today again, viral load is decreasing but not yet cleared. Opthmologist consult r/o CN IV and retina, felt could be VI nerve palsy in different dx. CT was unremarkable. MRI pending and neurology pending. Besides horizontal dipola extreme fatigue and a generalized weakness, perplexed how else to support her. For comfort it was suggested an eye patch. These symptoms started after what I felt to be her initial presentation of COVID and she improved, then as viral load begin to drop she developed the more neurological process.
Interested to see if others are seeing cases-
L Cantrell, ANP
We have had many cases like this. I am unaware if any studies have been done relating 6th or 4th nerve palsy to viral load. Most of our cases have improved, however I have yet to see a complete resolution.
All the best.
I am the patient listed above. I recovered quickly from COVID-19 it am still seeing double vision. Had a MRI done and it was remarkable. Everything okay. It’s 6 months now since the double vision has occurred.
I had double vision in both eyes, the doctor had not heard of any other cases at the time she saw me, but she has since the first time I saw her. I have had longhaulers and suffered since December with symptoms after having covid. I finally took cipro about a month ago for a lung infection and the double vision left immediately. So far it has not come back.
Do you think the cipro helped your vision ?
I really would like to try it. I’m suffering of double vision for 6 weeks. I had Covid in January, after two months I got cured it happened. MRI showed everything is ok. But my test of antibodies still increasing. It’s very debilitating. The doctor said it will cure itself, but it’s getting worsen.
I was positive with COVID Sept 25th. Reco ery seemed fine til this past week end (Jan 23) woke up with odd vision and by nightfall double vision. CT scan and MRIs were all normal. Had antibody testing done in mid November had a fairly high titer value. I work in the lab. Interesting to see similar cases.
This has also happened to me. Had COVID in Sept. Checked my antibody level in mid November and positive for antibodies. Over this past week end I developed double vision due to 6th cranial nerve palsy. All MRIs were normal and the CT scan. Over time this should correct itself… so I am told. Hoping for the best and in the meantime coping and adjusting.
My wife is experiencing this too, COVID positive 1/12 and then 1/23 double vision started and persists if not a little worse. We live in MA. Would you recommend seeing an ophthalmologist or neurologist first?
You should see a neuro ophthalmologist or neuro optometrist.
Hello Dr. Israeloff,
I am a COVID19 long-hauler and been suffering from a vertical double vision 2-3 month after initial COVID19 diagnosis. I had bilateral pneumonia and pretty much all of the symptoms you read about related to COVID19. My Ophthalmologist lowered my eye glasses’ prescription to see if it helps with my double vision but there has been no improvement. It comes and goes throughout the day and it’s more noticeable when I am tired and have brainfog. The intensity varies too. Sometimes I can see clearly and the next minute it comes back. When I see double vision and feel fatigue, I sometimes take a nap if I am home and it disappears for a while after I wake up recharged. I see double vision with my two eyes open. When I cover my left eye with my hand(left eye still open) I see a faint double vision from my right eye. When I actually close my left eye, I don’t see double vision from my right eye. Covering or closing my right eye doesn’t change the double vision that I see from my left eye. I started to see a triple vision from my left eye(three of the same letter or numbers stacked on top of each other, one to the top right corner and the other to the right side). I also saw a neuro-Opthalmogist and he said my vision problem is not neurological which I disagree respectfully because I feel normal at one moment and the next moment it just comes back. My cornea test was unremarkable. Once I drove in a rain and I was seeing double vision when the windshield wiper was wiping upward but the double vision disappears when it was wiping downward. Another rainy drive didn’t reproduce the same effect because I wasn’t having brainfog or double vision. My neuro-Opthalmogist said something is wrong with your windshield. I told him there is nothing wrong with my windshield. I also had issue with ocular migraine prior to getting sick with COVID for several years. Please help me. I most appreciate your feed back.
Hi Kalvin,
I am so sorry that you are suffering so much. We have seen a number of post COVID patients with diplopia. This can be intermittent as you are describing. Were do you live? We could possibly refer you to a colleague if you are too far to visit New York.
All the best,
Dr. Cheryl Berger Israeloff
Thank you for your reply, Dr. Israeloff. I live in Honolulu, HI.
Hello. I have the same experience in you. I’m so depressed because of my double vision
B12 deficiency causes neurological symptoms, as well as vision problems. Many doctors will only test b12 levels and, using outdated ranges, will determine a patient is fine when they are, in fact, deficient. To accurately determine a b12 deficiency you need a CBC and to test homocysteine and MMA levels. My theory is that people who experience post COVID recovery symptoms were already deficient and fighting the illness has seriously depleted them. Many if the symptoms like peripheral neuropathy, loss of taste and/or smell, brain fog, cognitive issues, balance and gait issues and other neuro problems are exactly the same as b12 deficiency symptoms
Thank you. I will try Vit. B12 supplements and see if it helps with my vision problems.
My doctor gave me Vit b 12 too, I have been taking it for 3 week.s .There is development but sometimes double vision still occurs. How long your double vision disappeared due toVit. B12 difficiency? I hope you can help me. Im so stressed of my double vision. Thanks
Just FYI
I had not had COVID as far as I know. Have had 2 negative tests in the last several months as others around me tested positive. I was not aware of any vision issues
when my sister noticed my right eyelid was drooping. A day or two later i developed
vertical double vision in my right eye, and have since gotten glasses with prisms to help correct. The problem has improved somewhat since it started, but is still
causing problems..
My friend just had the vaccine and woke up the next morning with double vision
Hi Ami,
We have not heard of a link between the vaccine and double vision. Your friend should contact her eye doctor.
All the best,
The Neuro Visual Center
My husband woke up with double vision 10 days after second vaccine.
My husband experiencing exactly this, 10 days exactly after moderna 2nd shot. Went to emergency, all same tests others here have had and opthalmogist exam. All unremarkable.
My mother is now experiencing double vision about 30 days after her second Pfizer vaccine show.
We have not seen an incidence in diplopia cases after the vaccine which is higher than what happens in the general population.
However, please report your concerns to your doctor.
The Neuro Visual Center
I had my first Moderna shot on March 10th, and on March 20th began experiencing severe double vision. I was taken to the ER and had a CT scan and an MRI. Neither test showed anything abnormal. The on-call Ophthalmologist diagnosed it as 6th cranial nerve palsy. Two days later I had an office visit with another Ophthalmologist who agreed with the diagnosis. As of today, it has shown no improvement. I’m following up with my primary care provider to investigate other possible causes, but in the meantime, I’m not inclined to get the 2nd shot.
Hi Tony
6th nerve palsy happens in the population. I have not heard that it has been associated with the vaccine. Please speak with your doctor.
All the best
I don’t know if this helps; however, here is what happened to me. I had my first Moderna shot on Thursday, the 8th of April. Twenty days later I developed double-vision (hozontal/binocular). I visited with an Ophthalmologist the next morning. He scheduled a blood test (check for diabetes) and an MRI to the brain. Both came out good. He said he though I had 6th cranial nerve palsy and that I should see improvement within 8 – 12 weeks. I had my second vaccine, as scheduled.
My vision restored to normal in less than 10 days following my second visit. All total, about 16 or 17 days with double-vision. ??? I have no idea if this issue was related to the vaccine or if it is going to show up again.
Glad you are doing well. It would be hard to correlated your diplopia to the vaccine if it happened 20 days after your vaccine.
The Neuro Visual Center
Same with me. After 2nd vaccine in January 2021. Still having intermittent diplopia
I am also experiencing some vision issues in my left eye right after I got my 1st dose of the Moderna vaccine. I felt like my eyeball in the left eye is moving towards the right on its own sometimes and I have to bring it back… feels like I am zoned out. It’s been about 10-15 days but this seems to not go away and been there a few times during the day. I went to emergency and they checked my eyes just with regular tests and told me nothing is wrong… my family doctor also did not treat me and told me to go to the emergency. It seems like there are some side effects of the vaccine but as doctors don’t want to discourage the vaccination, no one is taking this seriously and ignoring patience everywhere.
The cases we have seen of double vision have been post COVID19, not after the vaccine.
We hope your double vision resolves.
My husband had the moderna shot on a Monday and by Wednesday he was in the ER with double vision. They ran cat scans and MRIs that came back unremarkabale. Now they are testing for myasenia gravis because they seem to be grasping by at straws and not wanting to admit that the vaccine caused this side effect. His vision did return to normal after 12 days but he is still undergoing tests to rule out any underlying factors. He will NOT be taking the second shot as per his doctor’s recommendation.
I received shot march 26 i had Severe double vision the speed limit had five signs going around in a circle . That clear up . Now just weak Vision in my right eye . I open up door to house it’s brown door it turn blue the hole door . Nothing on web for vision color with COVID-19 shot . After Vaccination right away numb tongue lip and gums . That come goes . I smell cigarette smoke no one smokes in my house . My bottle water taste like well water . I had the Moderna
Please contact your doctor
I am a doctor and had covid in June 2020. I was hospitalized at that time was treated with ectemra, plasma and rendesivir. From the rendesivir I had angioedema and also developed neutropenic fever. I was later vaccinated in December and received 2nd dose in first week January 2021. Several days following the vaccine I had severe debilitating double vision. I had normal CTA of head, neck, normal MRI/MRA head neck. I saw opthalmologist and eye exam normal except for my vision but my symptoms are still present and sometimes very debilitating.
Hi Dr. Brennan
We are so sorry that you are suffering. Double vision is very debilitating. You should seek out someone near you who has experience working with prism.
We wish you all the best,
The Neuro Visual Center
Hi Dr. Brennan,
Which vaccine did you get? I actually experienced this as well. About 4-5 days after the first dose of the Moderna vaccine I had a sudden onset of vertical double vision.When it first started, I would have painful eye movements. Now, I no longer have the painful eye movements but still have the double vision. So far I’ve had the double vision for about a month.
I got my first shot of pfizer and apon waking up the following morning i am expiencing double vision i never caught the covid but i thoght i better get the vaccine but i wish i didnt because i could see just fine before this now im scared to get the second dose im seeking a dr. Tommorow its been 6 days ongoing with this double vision
Hi Michael
We are sorry that you are going through this. We are not sure if the vaccine has a correlation to your double vision. We are not seeing greater rates than what happens in the population.
Please see your doctor.
All the best
The Neuro Visual Center.
My husband had covid back in October.
He had the Oxford vaccine back in February and woke up with double vision in his left eye, facial pain and blinding headaches.
This is still ongoing and he is really suffering.
He has had to go to A&E twice, hes had a CT scan and seen a specialist but everything is coming back clear.
He is now waiting to see a consultant.
Like other people on here he is dreading the 2nd vaccine.
This is really effecting his day to day life.
Hoping we get some answers soon.
I never had COVID. I had my 2nd Pfizer COVID vaccination shot on March 26th. Five minutes after receiving the 2nd vaccine I noticed my vision was distorted. It returned to normal 10-15 minutes later. April 5th, almost 2 weeks after the 2nd vaccination, I woke up with double vision and it’s persisted now for almost 2 weeks. I saw my MD and he referred me to an ophthalmologist and an MRI center. The MRI was unremarkable. I have plans to see a neurologist as soon as I can get an appointment. I’m 66 yo & never experienced double vision before.
I am not aware that I have had covid but I am convinced I may have after reading these comments. I woke up one morning with severe double vision that only improved if I covered one eye. I made an urgent doctors appointment for later that day but over the course of 4 hours it slowly improved to the point that when I got to the doctors it had resolved. I had head and eye ache for about 5 days afterwards. The doctor asked me to get an eye examination which I got the day after the double vision and my eye sight and eye looked perfectly healthy. I don’t even wear glasses.
I have never experienced this before and have not since.
You may not have had COVID. Double vision can happen for many reasons. We are glad that your symptoms have resolved.
The Neuro Visual Center
I received my 1st shot of the Pfizer vaccine Jan. 26th and 4 days later woke up on a Saturday morning Jan. 30th with severe double vision and rushed to VA Hospital thinking I had a stroke that caused it? Went through all kinds of tests that showed nothing but ruled out a stroke. Blood pressure was sky high over 200 but later returned to around the 160 level. Went to see my optimologist and had to get priziming added to my right eye lense of my glasses to get me by. The double vision lasted about 2 1/2 months then slowly began to improve back to close to normal about a week ago. Doctors do not want to agree that this could have been related to the vaccine but after reading other similar cases here I am more convinced that it is a strong possibility!!!
Just adding to this thread that I also experienced double vision with Covid and it’s related to one of my nerves being slightly enlarged likely due to inflammation. It was microscopic 1mm bigger then my left eye in the MRI. Great information that people got prism lenses I will ask about these as I’m currently using an eye patch.
Within 10 min of receiving the Moderna vaccine I had a strange taste in my mouth through the right side of my mouth and nose and experienced blurred vision for two days. I’m worried about getting the second dose and I can’t find much information about blurred vision as a side effect of the vaccine. My vision was fine before getting the shot.
On November 16th 2020 I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms were mild and cleared within a few days of being told that I had been exposed (November 11th). The only symptom that lingered was the loss of taste and smell (it took about six weeks for that to clear. On March 7th 2021 I started to have double vision. It came and went about 10 times. Clearing quickly. I woke up on March 8th with no vision problems. About 4 hours later the double vision came back and would not clear. I called my doctor and was told to go to the ER. I was seen at the ER for possible stroke. They ran full blood work along with CT with and without contrast, chest X-ray, MRI and an echocardiogram. All of the tests returned normal (no stroke). I was seen by the neurologist and told to follow up with optometrist as soon as possible and neurology one week later. Had ophthalmologist appointment on March 10, 2020. Was given a diagnosis of fourth nerve palsy and prescribed prisms for my right lens. The prism helped for a little bit but the longer I wore the glasses the harder the double vision was to correct. Followed up with neurology on March 18, 2020 and was referred to Nuro ophthalmologist for INO of the left eye. After waiting a week for the referral to clear and be excepted by Nuro ophthalmologist the soonest appointment I could get was May 20, 2020. On April 20th 2020 I had a follow up with ophthalmologist who had indicated that the double vision was getting worse and he would’ve expected it to get better four weeks later. At that point the neurologist did confirm left eye was not making full lateral gaze from midpoint to far left on the left eye. The ophthalmologist agreed on the referral to Nuro ophthalmology. In the last three weeks the double vision has started to clear and it’s almost gone completely. I am hoping that the appointment on May 20th 2020 will you’re a direction is what was/is causing the double vision.
i am an optometrist with 44 yrs experience . this last week i had 2 healthy adults one age 36 a woman and one man mid 40 s both very athletic . both had diplopia very soon after there j n j and moderna vaccines both were around 10to 14 eso at near /decompensated phorias not 6th n palsy as far as i can tell the man is slowly recovering from diplopia and many other symptoms // can you tell me where i might report these cases
I believe you report to the VAERS website.
Report to the VAERS site.
Had approximately the same experience as Mike Caprio above. I’m 33, male, very healthy with no history of eye issues, self quarantined for almost a year. My usual eyesight is better than 20/20. I had the first dose of Moderna on 3/17, woke up with double vision 12 days later on 3/29. Met with PCP two days later, sent me to the hospital for an emergency CT scan which was clear of stroke or any major event. Went to optometrist the next day, diagnosed with partial 6th nerve palsy. Went back to the hospital for another CT scan, the following day, 4/2, still clear. Saw ophthalmologist on 4/8 who did not provide much further detail, but ordered an MRI for the following day which also yielded no obvious issues. A further exam at Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan on 4/15, the doctor also agreed with the original diagnosis of nerve palsy, but did not provide any insight into the cause. One of the residents did mention that a 19 year old female had come in a week previously with a similar case. All four doctors I talked to seemed very reluctant to link the symptom back to the Covid vaccine. I reported the incident to VAERS (https://vaers.hhs.gov/) and would suggest you do if you have symptoms from the vaccine. Two months later my vision has improved significantly, but it is not fully back to normal in left gaze. Hope the information helps anyone looking for answers.
I was diagnosed with Covid on March 29, 2021. The only symptoms I had were loss of taste and smell for about 3 days and was tired. I returned to work on April 8th and on April 23 developed double vision from my left eye. I saw my optometrist the next morning and she diagnosed me with Cranial nerve 6 palsy affecting the left lateral rectus muscle. I’ve had an MRI, MRA, blood work and CT. Nothing really indicating any abnormalities. My optometrist said it could go away between 3-6 months. I’m hoping and praying it goes away as quickly as it arrived. One way to deal with it is taping a piece of paper behind my glasses lens of my left eye. I have peripheral vision and this allows me to be able to work and drive without seeing double. Hope everyone else that experiences this recovers quickly. It’s so annoying.
Hi everyone! Just here to share my story as well since i’ve been reading this forum for a few weeks now- very similar to many in this thread. I am 28, female. I had the 2nd dose of Pfizer vaccine on May 9th in NYC, the following morning I started to experience fever, blurred vision, aches. The fever and aches went away within 2 days. The vision only got worse and I was diagnosed with diplopia and ptosis by that Friday as I couldn’t even see enough to work anymore. I went to Urgent Care who thought I may have had a stroke due to the vision issues and ptosis and they recommended emergency eye center at Mount Sinai. Went to an emergency eye center the same day on Friday May 14th, all eye exams otherwise came back normal (I wear contacts so saw my optometrist only a couple months ago- always good health reports). They did a blood test for ocular myasthenia gravis – which came back negative. I am scheduled for CT scan tomorrow and still waiting on an opthaneurologist appointment. Now, 23 days later, I still have severe double vision and taking a muscle strengthen for ptosis which is only sort of helping. I am currently also wearing an eyepatch to be able to function at all. Hoping for a recovery for all soon. It’s definitely really scary and frustrating, but hoping sharing this will help others who have been reading this forum feel connected and not alone.