Four words in a patient’s chart can strike doubt in the mind of even the most accomplished optometrist: “Complains of double vision.”

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A comprehensive description of the diagnosis and management of all medical and ocular conditions that cause diplopia could fill several textbooks. This article will narrow that exhaustive list down to non-urgent, binocular vision causes of diplopia that are best managed with prism.

Prescribing prism is more of an art than a science, and can be very subjective. That subjectivity is part of the reason so many optometrists hesitate to tackle it.

Read the full article from newgradoptometry.com

Dr. Dexter's Take

How many of you get nervous when the patient tells you that they have "complaints of double vision?" As this article notes, these four words are probably some the most dreaded things an optometry student (or even optometrist) can hear from a patient. I think this stems from the perceived difficulty of trying to figure out the etiology of the double vision, knowing how to interpret the results of binocular vision tests, and confidently prescribing the proper treatment. It's not something that most of us deal with on a daily basis so it can be quit intimidating to know how to properly address and manage these individuals.

This article from NewGradOptometry.com breaks down prescribing prism into easy to follow steps to help you gain confidence in this area. You'll be a pro at prism after reviewing these tips and tricks!