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Eye Care Archive (Expert Forum)
Flickering / Flashing Lights + other Vision Problems
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Flickering / Flashing Lights + other Vision Problems
by tyremt, May 08, 2007 12:00AM
hi, im quite myopic, very healthy 24 year old male -5 left eye, -6 right
my problems a month ago started when i questioned why i was aware of my natural blind spots in both eyes . an checkup with eye specialist suggested my problem was with perception as opposed to anything physically wrong ie that im aware they exist & have trained myself to be highly aware of them. i was originally worried they were bigger than normal but visual field tests didnt show anything abnormal. but no one can explain why my blind spots have a 'blackish' shadow to them?
But in the last few weeks ive become aware of flickering lines, flashes in the corner of my right eye. its more noticable in darkness/when i close my eye but the strange thing about it is, when working with computers and concentrating, the flickering begins to creep in and annoys me considerably! what could this be? in my opinion its getting worse and im also becoming aware that the peripheral vision in the same eye has definately decreased, ie what i could see there before i cant now. also it appears that the corner of my vision is very cloudy/hazy, i can hardly recognise vision through it. its not like this in my left eye. i also have a constant feeling of discomfort /darkness in the right eye
ive seen 3 ophthalmologists + a retinologist each time ive had thorough examinations ,my pupils dilated/slit lamp tests etc and each time the verdict was the same, my eyes are absolutely. all that was mentioned was that im very myopic and i have a slightly tilted disc (left eye - this is the eye im more aware of my blind spot and could be a factor)
i was also advised that the flickering/creeping flashes could be A) ocular migrane (thats been here for 5 weeks now? im doubtful its this) or B) the very early stages of the jelly in my eye changing causing the flickering. altho i was told the jelly in my eye is fine
I do think my right eye is getting worse & the flashing/flickering lights are driving me crazy. Do you have any advice?
my problems a month ago started when i questioned why i was aware of my natural blind spots in both eyes . an checkup with eye specialist suggested my problem was with perception as opposed to anything physically wrong ie that im aware they exist & have trained myself to be highly aware of them. i was originally worried they were bigger than normal but visual field tests didnt show anything abnormal. but no one can explain why my blind spots have a 'blackish' shadow to them?
But in the last few weeks ive become aware of flickering lines, flashes in the corner of my right eye. its more noticable in darkness/when i close my eye but the strange thing about it is, when working with computers and concentrating, the flickering begins to creep in and annoys me considerably! what could this be? in my opinion its getting worse and im also becoming aware that the peripheral vision in the same eye has definately decreased, ie what i could see there before i cant now. also it appears that the corner of my vision is very cloudy/hazy, i can hardly recognise vision through it. its not like this in my left eye. i also have a constant feeling of discomfort /darkness in the right eye
ive seen 3 ophthalmologists + a retinologist each time ive had thorough examinations ,my pupils dilated/slit lamp tests etc and each time the verdict was the same, my eyes are absolutely. all that was mentioned was that im very myopic and i have a slightly tilted disc (left eye - this is the eye im more aware of my blind spot and could be a factor)
i was also advised that the flickering/creeping flashes could be A) ocular migrane (thats been here for 5 weeks now? im doubtful its this) or B) the very early stages of the jelly in my eye changing causing the flickering. altho i was told the jelly in my eye is fine
I do think my right eye is getting worse & the flashing/flickering lights are driving me crazy. Do you have any advice?
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-OD-MP, May 08, 2007 12:00AM
'what could this be?'
well, every time any patient says 'flashes', the 1st thing all eye care professionals think is retinal detachment. no one will know if the 'flashes' you see are RD or not until/unless someone looks inside your eye.
'ive seen 3 ophthalmologists + a retinologist each time ive had thorough examinations ,my pupils dilated/slit lamp tests etc and each time the verdict was the same, my eyes are absolutely'
well so there's the answer, i guess. no one knows what you're seeing, but its not RD.
i dont know if you're 'getting worse' or not. no way for me to know that. all i can tell you is that yes, its possible to be ocular migraine, although difficult to prove, and yes, its possible to be vitreal traction (changes in the 'gel'), but that would also be difficult to prove.
well, every time any patient says 'flashes', the 1st thing all eye care professionals think is retinal detachment. no one will know if the 'flashes' you see are RD or not until/unless someone looks inside your eye.
'ive seen 3 ophthalmologists + a retinologist each time ive had thorough examinations ,my pupils dilated/slit lamp tests etc and each time the verdict was the same, my eyes are absolutely'
well so there's the answer, i guess. no one knows what you're seeing, but its not RD.
i dont know if you're 'getting worse' or not. no way for me to know that. all i can tell you is that yes, its possible to be ocular migraine, although difficult to prove, and yes, its possible to be vitreal traction (changes in the 'gel'), but that would also be difficult to prove.
yes, i can fully understand what you say about flashes etc and until uve seen the eye...
i think i can be pretty much assured that its not RD, as you say thats the first thing eye specialists look for and thats what everyone has done whos checked me over, each did say no signs of RD at all.
the lights im seeing are more flickering waves / lines (not so much jagged like the visual migranes i get) that creep in from the far side of my vision, especially when im concentrating on something such as a computer.
whats your advice? do i seek further help? because your very right in what you say that ive had a number of people tell me they can find no problems now but I know somethings definitely not right / or somethings definitely changed / changing. Could this all be a natural process of my myopia? I also agree that it could be a first time and be a migrane but the symptoms are just so different from what I usually experience. if it were to be a migrane how long can they stay for? its been 5-6 weeks now?
In your experience do the flickering lights ever go away? If things are as ive been told, theres no problem with my eyes, could there be something neurological happening, or do you think its an un-fortunate sequence of events in what ive been experiencing?
Also if possible could in your opinion is it normal for me to be so aware of my blind spots? Ive had very confusing responses from all specialists about this question. As I mentioned in my case the answer I was finally given was that ive trained myself to be very aware of them.
Finally.. sorry for yapping on :o) could my contact lenses be a factor in any of this? Lack of oxygen? Its just strange my eye feels so much discomfort after wearing them.
Thankyou very much for your time. This is a great resource!
NO.
"if it were to be a migrane how long can they stay for? its been 5-6 weeks now?"
unlikely. most migraines last less than 24 hrs
"could there be something neurological happening"
in the absence of eye problems, yes this is possible. next step is probably neuro evaluation
"Also if possible could in your opinion is it normal for me to be so aware of my blind spots?"
no, not normal. but also unlikely to be fixable.
"I was finally given was that ive trained myself to be very aware of them."
thats the most likely scenario IMO as well.
"could my contact lenses be a factor in any of this? Lack of oxygen?"
no. unrelated. discomfort with contact lens wear is totally unrelated to blind spots and flashes/flickers.
well, im sure its not a migrane, and im almost as sure its nothing to do with the jelly in my eye (altho as you say i could be wrong... il maybe never know?!), sooo what else could it be, by this im referring to the flickering lights im seeing in the far right of my vision?
sometimes in a way its like when you touch one of those electro static balls, in the corner of my eye. sometimes its shaped like a rainbow but of sharp flashing lines.
as mentioned a neuro eval could be a route to go down!