Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
diplopia
Pronunciation: dip-LOH-pee-ah
Double vision resulting from misalignment of the eyes, commonly seen after orbital trauma or surgery.
Full Definition
Diplopia is the perception of two images of a single object, occurring when the eyes cannot align properly to focus on the same point. In craniofacial surgery, diplopia frequently results from orbital fractures causing extraocular muscle entrapment, edema, or mechanical restriction. The condition can be monocular (persisting with one eye closed) or binocular (resolving with one eye closed), with binocular diplopia being more common in orbital trauma. Management may include observation, prism glasses, botulinum toxin injection, or surgical correction depending on the underlying cause.
In Context
- "The patient reported persistent diplopia in upward gaze following orbital floor repair." — Follow-up examination
- "Diplopia resolved spontaneously within six weeks as post-traumatic edema subsided." — Clinical progress note
Also known as
double vision
Contrasted with
single vision
normal binocular vision
Don't confuse with
blurred vision
visual field defect