Ken: Making a Life with Double Vision

Ken, a commercial artist, was training for a triathlon. "I felt stronger than ever," he said. But he started feeling dizzy and got off his bike. "Everything went black."
A friend called an ambulance, which took him to Littleton Regional Hospital. A CAT scan revealed that he'd had an aneurysm. He was sent immediately to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon.
Ken underwent eight hours of brain surgery, had another surgery the next day, and had another several months later to install a shunt to control brain swelling.
The surgery Ken needed can have a temporary side effect of double vision. In Ken's case, it didn't go away. The aneurysm had been caused by an arterial venous malformation (AVM), a mass of tissue in the brain that had become weak and began bleeding.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Ophthalmology department fitted him for prism glasses to help correct his double vision.
"That was fantastic," Ken said. "But the thing that made a really big difference in being able to improve the quality of my life and move into my new life was when I was involved in speech pathology." Dartmouth-Hitchcock's speech pathologists helped Ken learn how to retrain his brain to compensate for his new circumstances.
With double vision, how could Ken, a commercial illustrator, continue to make a living?
"I made being able to draw again work for me by first allowing myself to be able to take the time I needed to deal with the fear that I may never draw again, and not to put any pressure on myself to start drawing any sooner than I had to," Ken said.
Ten months after his aneurysm, the vice president of Ken's creative department suggested that Ken instead paint what he actually saw. He mentioned Chuck Close, the artist whose realistic portraits Ken admires, and whose own artistic career was severely impacted - and influenced - when he suffered a spinal artery collapse that left him paralyzed.
Ken's post-surgery painting was of his friend Jason. "I remember looking at him and seeing two of him and thinking, 'Wow ... I'm having a conversation with two people.' He's the first person who put a pencil in my hand. So I thought to honor him, I'd paint him."
That first portrait took six months. Ken adapted to his new style so well that now, two years later, he's finished his latest work in only five days.
"These paintings distracted me from my pain and they allowed me a little bit of comfort and enjoy my life," Ken said. "The paintings for me also helped me understand what double vision is.
"In many ways, I'd take the old Ken back in a heartbeat. But since it's not an option for me, I'll accept the fact that I have a second life now, and now when I paint it's much easier because I'm not trying to pretend to be anybody other than who I am now."
Ken's first series of paintings were on display at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in 2011.
"These doctors, Dartmouth, they saved my life," Ken said. "Because of everything they've given me, I want to give back to them. And that's why I've done these paintings - to show them that I'm grateful for the life they gave me and I'm going to make the most of it."
Read more about the Arts Program at Dartmouth-Hitchcock at patients.dartmouth-hitchcock.o....
To learn more about Ken and his art, visit www.explorepotential.com.

[@Lurkitten]

I have had double vision my whole life, and I'm also an artist, but I've never thought to draw what I see, I only even draw from 1 eye..

[@josipkoic93]

Same here

[@wonderouswumbo4353]

Yeah, I’m 12 and I’ve had double vision most of my life, I paint and sketch but I’ve gotten so used to my double vision that I only see it if I think about it, sort of like manually breathing.

[@dawnstanley1733]

Lol at first I though it was my double vision, and not his painting.

[@DhavalSakaria]

try to buy prism glasses. it might help.

[@artistvishnuprajapat]

Same to you I am an artist and my eye vision is weak 🥹 Meri English bhi kamjor hai😅

[@MLievens]

Amazing story! I'm in a double vision jam myself and it's nice to see how he got through it :)

[@mindsetguidance1556]

Good job persevering through your struggles, Ken. I'm a brain cancer survivor and I have some lasting visual impairments including double vision. When it's a part of your daily life it's so much more than just a simple vision issue we deal with. It seeps in to basically every area of your life in some way, and only we truly know it how affects us through the experience. I admire the way you "reframed" the situation and have only been moving forward with things. Embracing and transcending can be tough but make a worlds difference. Also sharing your story is powerful in itself to instill hope and a positive outlook in others. Although things were hell for me for quite some time and I still have my off days I also would not trade my experience for anything else. I appreciate you sharing this. Take care.

[@skysmyheart]

I also have Diplopia. Mine just occured naturally. Prism lenses with my vision prescription is the only way I can function. I always buy plastic frames as I have to wear my glasses in the shower. This artist fascinates me and let's my family understand what the world is like through my eyes.

[@enfieldjohn101]

That picture beside him is great! It shows pretty accurately how I've seen the world my whole life. It took years to figure this out. Once we found an eye doctor who could figure why I was so clumsy, had poor depth perception, couldnt read etc. He worked with me with eye exercises and prisms in glasses. Took five years to get any improvement. I could finally read and do things that take hand-eye coordination slightly better than before. Then five years ago, I started having what turned out to be symptoms of hyperparathyroidism. One of the symptoms that developed was that all of the progress I'd made in controlling my double vision over the years started slipping away. I was 45 years old and once again my diplopia was as bad as it was when I was four. So disheartening! I've had the surgery to remove the parathyroid gland that was causing the problem now, but the doctors say it may take a couple of years for all of the symptoms I had to heal. I never thought of trying to accurately draw what I see. I have to wear an eye patch over my weaker eye to see things singly for more than a few seconds at a time.

[@AutismDecodedStellaWaterhouse]

Intriguing. Many kids on the autism spectrum have similar problems for their earliest years - but not because of illness

[@dawnstanley1733]

I Am curious, please explain more.

[@dahperson9343]

I just realized my vision was not normal because i always see two of everything but its not that bad

[@rajaeelhilali2821]

How you can read?

[@bikasbk2220]

You have double vision

[@BAZFANSHOTHITSClassicTunes]

I had am a operatiion in 1979 for a lazy eye., all seemed good until i turned 16 just after leaving school i got double vision. I trried glass's and prisms but it got so bad that glass's wasnt an option. I went with a eye patch for a while, but i was getting major headaches so bad i had to go to hospital. Fast forwars to 2008 after various eye tests and photographs of my eye positions it was agreed to do a second op. Tho the op did center my eye the double vision remains to this day. The left eye is blurred and the right eye may as well be blinded as its useless. I get blurred double vision. Ive learned to live with it now to a point where i dont even think about as a disability.

[@kiahmadison8541]

I was born with a lazy eye and double vision. Until I saw the tv show Dactari I had no idea that other people usually didn't see like I do. People with stereoblindness can actually make great artists.

[@no_name4aday]

I found out about my double vision from biking, and I paint im gonna try it

[@MLievens]

Is there a way to get in contact with Ken?

[@secretgirl6061]

I also have double vision and now it's been one year plss someone help me l see double from my both eyes and now i am very depressed i can't focus on my studies or when i use my phone then again i see double things......☹️

[@teresatano193]

So sorry - mine just happened 3 days ago out of NOWHERE, but I have diabetes so that might be it. So depressing.

[@courtenaybondarchuk7795]

wow. This is me exactly

[@bikasbk2220]

How treat your double vision?

[@SS3jozar1]

I just begun having a double vision ever cens I burned the American flag. why? well I had enough at first, but I was also scared at the same time when I went for a walk. I was scared of the government planning to jump out of nowhere and kill me without a chance to think and act. but I do some how feel stronger then ever, most of the time I always luck of strength and courage. I don't even know that I still am, but i'm gonna enjoy it to the fullest. I am a bit worried of the side effects. anybody know any tips so I can be careful with my eyes?, if so, let me know.

[@scorzi10]

they don't have a high enough prescription for me to see single.

[@techistanpro978]

isn't there any possible way to cure it?

[@hajahaisyah6589]

Probably surgery

[@sandrakelly6393]

What kind glasses you take that help you see less double????

[@ThatShitCrayons]

Prism glasses

[@skippydoo4208]

@@ThatShitCrayons do they 100 percent correct it

[@TptDavid]

@@skippydoo4208 No and for some of us prisms don't work.

[@skynard83]

can you get disability for Diplopia?

[@user-cm2xj7ew5p]

When we judge, not knowing

[@briansgalaxynote2]

He said drawer. I have double vision I've never said I'm a drawer

[@makimechan]

I can literally have double vision at will....can somebody explain?

[@MrSparkles539]

not gonna lie, I can too

[@arnavkale6132]

Me too

[@alinamuresan5565]

Is not at will. You are forcing your eyes all the time and probably for a long time to see normal and now it feels like a normal state. When you relax intentionally your eyes, you see double.

[@briansgalaxynote2]

I am able to switch eyes but always one is slightly out of focus.

[@willowrain1700]

Alina Balmos that’s exactly what happens to me too. I truthfully thought this was something that happens to everybody. Ever since I was younger I dealt with this. I was told today from my optometrist that the pressure in my eyes are very off. I attempted to take a test during my eye exam about seeing in 2 but I simply couldn’t complete it. If I were to not force my eyes to see what’s in my focus correctly it’d be completely in 2. She said I should be experiencing headaches and bluriness was which I do deal with daily and I thought it was just from my astigmatism. It was such a relief to kind of hear that it’s not normal and that I can help fix it or make it better.

[@amandaroberts9445]

❤

[@navneetverma5584]

But I don't want to make life with double vision

[@caiseber4917]

I have double vision it's not nice

[@JAYARAMANca]

Hello .. I have double vision ... How to cure that please .. Give solution.

[@theropesofrenovation9352]

When I get double vision, I can't walk straight. How can you walk with double vision?

[@alexandermercer5363]

Focus on the ground, or something far away. If you get dizzy while that happens or something, you should see a doctor.

[@theropesofrenovation9352]

@@alexandermercer5363 Ok thanks. I talked to him. Had an MRI. All ok. I just sit down and close my eyes. lol

[@skynard83]

can you get disability for Diplopia?

[@user-cm2xj7ew5p]

On a personal note. I did not say "I want breast cancer" The initial chemotherapy sessions I had double vision. As much as I wanted to shake it off, there's no way I could. My Mom would be driving me on Central Blvd on the intersection with Boca Chica. There are 5 lanes on central, there was nothing but confusion. I do believe I just shut my eyes. Well, confusion is not of God, that much I do know.

[@DB4KK]

i also have diplopia it TERRIBLE

[@Lakeslover1]

Double vision can be caused by gluten sensitivity.

[@lightr2187]

I have really high double vision, fkn depressing life.

[@dawnstanley1733]

Is it anything like seeing 12 moons?

[@sg_0999]

12 moon s or it is at also blur it, s normal it is normal moypia

[@TptDavid]

This is exactly how i see... Sucks bigtime

[@looyasosa3895]

David R bruh I can see one thing if I focus but I’ve seen like this since a child

[@TptDavid]

@@looyasosa3895 it's not easy my brother.

[@sheluvbando4136]

I bearly got this double vision

[@alorxia637]

same❤️

[@dawnstanley1733]

Just curious, I had 2 crossed eyes and corrective surgery when I was 5, and always remember having double vision, and headaches. Anyone else??