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Diplopia

Witness : Zhou Mingyuan

Symptom : Diplopia

   I recall that it was the morning of 14th January; I had gotten out of bed and was getting ready for work. All of a sudden, I saw a double image with my left eye when I looked straight ahead; my eyes were unable to focus on any one spot. As I walked and looked at the floor, the floor surface seemed to sag and bulge. When I walked down the staircase, I experienced the same situation. I had to take each step very carefully so as not to miss my footing and fall. At that moment, I felt as though my whole life had been turned upside down. I am a teacher at a senior high school; this condition in my eye, entirely unexpected as it was, severely affected my work and my mood. Consequently, I hastily arranged to have my eyes checked at the Department of Ophthalmology at a major hospital. It was only then that I learnt that the double vision I had been experiencing was known as diplopia. The ophthalmologist concluded that there was something wrong with my cranial nerve VI and transferred me to the Department of Neurology to undergo a number of examinations. However, the examination results revealed there to be nothing specifically wrong. Based on the blood test result, the doctor suggested that perhaps I had not been managing my blood sugar levels as well as I might, thus bringing about the damage in my optic nerves. He prescribed to me medication for regulating my blood sugar levels and asked me to observe whether the condition in my eye improved after taking the medication.   

   I took the medication prescribed by the neurologist for a few weeks and adjusted my lifestyle and diet. I expected my eye condition to have improved after my blood sugar level had been stabilized. However, after several weeks of medication, the double vision seemed not to have been alleviated at all. I panicked and worried that I might never recover from this condition. As the proverb goes, “a drowning man will clutch at a straw”, so I searched online for traditional Chinese medical practices and clinical treatments for double vision. I also searched for many traditional Chinese medicine clinics and news articles but did not find many describing the treatment of diplopia. Just as I was beginning to feel desperate, I chanced upon an online article documenting treatment for double vision at Dr. Wen’s clinic. I read about an experience shared by one of his patients. This presented me with a glimmer of hope. After work, I hastily visited Dr. Wen’s clinic. After a staff member had clearly and precisely explained the process, I made an appointment for the treatment and paid the fee with the mindset of giving it a shot. Basically, a treatment program involved ten acupuncture sessions. However, there were so many patients every time I visited the clinic that it was always very late by the time I had arrived home after the treatment. I told myself to remain persistent and never give up. I can still remember the time Dr. Wen gave me the first acupuncture treatment. My left eye was stuck in the middle and I was unable to move it; this frightened me. Dr. Wen told me that he had previously treated a number of patients with diplopia; he encouraged me to be patient and assured me that my condition would improve after only a few acupuncture sessions. In total, I enrolled in three acupuncture programs. Following these, I found that my left eye was no longer stuck in the middle or unable to be moved. I was able to look to the left and right. Although the double vision still persisted, the symptoms were nevertheless alleviated and were not as severe as they had been before receiving the treatment. Following the fourth session of my fourth program, I noticed that the double images had finally disappeared. When I walked and looked at the floor, the floor surface no longer looked distorted. When I walked straight ahead or down steps, each step seemed solid. I did not have to worry about losing my footing or falling. I was very excited. In total, I received 34 acupuncture sessions. After the 34th session, I found that I had completely recovered from diplopia. I really want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Wen for his attentiveness and patience. I am thankful to him for saving me and giving me hope once again in my life. Last but not least, I would like to tell other people suffering from double vision that, from a Western medical point of view, diplopia is a troublesome ailment to treat. If you have contracted diplopia, please do not give up hope. I wholeheartedly recommend that you take steps to receive treatment from Dr. Wen. As long as you stay patient in receiving the acupuncture treatment, I believe that there is every chance that your symptoms will be alleviated and even cured.