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PhrasesDescribing SymptomsHo la visione sdoppiata.
B1

Ho la visione sdoppiata.

I have double vision.

Pronunciation

sdop-PYA-ta — three syllables, stress on second. 'Sdoppiato' = doubled/split.

When to use it

Report double vision to a doctor urgently — it can indicate serious neurological or eye conditions requiring prompt evaluation.

What it means

'Visione sdoppiata' = double vision ('diplopia' in medical Italian). 'Vedere doppio' (to see double) is the colloquial expression. 'Ho la visione offuscata' = I have blurred vision. 'Ho perso la vista da un occhio' = I have lost vision in one eye. Double vision can signal: cranial nerve palsy, stroke, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, or muscle problems.

Variations

Vedo doppio da stamattina.

I have been seeing double since this morning.

Acute onset double vision — urgent; exclude stroke and brain aneurysm

Ho la visione offuscata da qualche giorno.

I have had blurred vision for a few days.

Blurred vision — many causes; needs eye examination ('visita oculistica')

Mi lampeggiano le luci davanti agli occhi.

Lights are flashing in front of my eyes.

Photopsia — can signal retinal detachment or migraine with aura — urgent for retinal cause

Mini Dialogue

— Ho la visione sdoppiata da stamattina. È comparsa all'improvviso. — Ha anche mal di testa o formicolio? — Sì, un leggero mal di testa. — Dobbiamo escludere una causa neurologica. La mando al pronto soccorso adesso. — È così urgente? — Con visione doppia improvvisa, sì. Meglio non aspettare.

— I have had double vision since this morning. It appeared suddenly. — Do you also have a headache or tingling? — Yes, a mild headache. — We need to exclude a neurological cause. I am sending you to A&E now. — Is it that urgent? — With sudden double vision, yes. Better not to wait.

Cultural Note

Sudden onset diplopia is a neurological emergency in Italian triage — it receives a 'codice giallo' (yellow code) at minimum. Italian stroke centres have protocols to rapidly assess new diplopia with brain MRI or CT angiography. Myasthenia gravis ('miastenia gravis') — a neuromuscular disorder causing variable double vision — is diagnosed in Italian neuromuscular centres. Italy has a national registry for rare neuromuscular diseases.