Flickering vision

For the past 2 months I have been having eye problems. Everthing looks like its flashing all the the time, when I look at things that are striped it looks like they are moving or shimmering. It is constant and is worse when I first wake up. I am realy worried and was wondering what could be causing it and if it is something serious.

[Forum-OD-MP]

you need an eye exam.  could be retinal problems (although IMO a little unlikely) or migraines or neurological problems or lyme disease or postural hypotension/blood flow problems or many, many other disorders...some benign and some not..  you need further testing.

[okieb]

Please read my post on the Q  "flickering vision - mikey69 12/20/2006"  

You absolutely need to pursue a check-up ASAP!  Be sure you know what you're dealing with.

[cada86]

I went to the dodtor and they sent me to get a CT Scan. The scan came back normal. The past few days though my vision has been getting alot worse and when I look at lights or bright objects it looks like there is a ring around them. I made an appointment to see an eye doctor but it is not for another week. I was wondering if there was anything else I should do.

[katerbait]

Hey-
last year I started experiencing the same problem as you and I still have the problem. The shimmering has remained fairly constant and hasn't progressed much but the halos you are describing around bright objects I experience also and those seem to be getting worse. I had the shimmering vision for about 6-7 months before I noticed the halos appearing although it seemed like their onset was only a couple days from when I didn't have them to when I did. I have had numerous eye exams. I first went for the shimmering vision to an optho who declared me normal and had no idea what I was talking about. I later saw retinal specialists as it progressed with the halos and again, nothing was found. I had two MRI's last year which came back normal but this was before the onset of the halos so I am thinking of having another. Prior health complaints I had were floaters and flashes of light which I experienced for a couple years but I was told they were " retinal migranes (migraines)" after seeing several specialists and I'm not sure if they had anything to do with it. Around the time of onset, I was having dizzy spells as well and those seem to come and go. No doctors have really been able to help me. But here are some things u may want to check out. Again, all my tests- blood,eye exams and retinal exams, neurological exams have returned normal and left me baffled.

1. Google "visual snow" there are many forums for people who experience this type of vision. They describe it like TV static but mine is more shimmery than static. However, there are people there who have the intolerance of patterns ( I experience objects moving, jumping, especially blinds and such) and halos are associated with this for some people as well.
2. Maybe look into getting an MRI ( CT scans sometimes can miss things) and have a blood test because alot of the people on the message boards attribute lyme disease to visual issues that are kind of odd.

I was also wondering about your stress level around the time of onset... do you think it had anything to do with it and did you have any dizziness associated with this like I did?

The thing I worry about is that something is happening and what I am experiencing is just the beginning of it as it tends to keep getting worse.. especially the intolerance of bright objects. I also see photographed images and images of lights on tv as an X or starburst, that came about a year into these symptoms.

The good news is that this could be totally benign...stress related or some type of chroninc migrane (migraine). The main things I worry about with this are brain tumor or cancer, eye cancer, anuerysm or head or neck tumor and of course various eye diseases. When I experienced the symptoms for the first time I was afraid I was going blind. To reassure you of things, I know what you are going through so if you ever need to talk about it and not have someone think your crazy, let me know and keep me posted.

[Fleckwood]

I have been experiencing the same type of symptoms. Flickering light at the very bottom of my field of vision almost constantly. Excessive floaters more in one eye than the other. They interfere with reading. The print looks as though it has been rained on. Also occassionally in the very center of my vision it appears to pulse as though tapping on a glass of water which worsens with exertion. Sometime when I bend over I can feel pressure behind my eyes. I have searched all over the internet and found people with similar symptoms and all being told after mant tests that nothing is wrong. There must be a common thread here. Any ideas?

[katerbait]

Do u experience the halos at night as well??

[Fleckwood]

Yes I do, just in the left eye. Sometimes its worse than others.

[katerbait]

Wow. I have them in both eyes which makes me believe its a brain issue. But that is interesting u have it in one. Did an eye exam come back normal because I was told by my optho that if its a brain issue you see the disturbance in two eyes, if its an eye issue it's only in one. what other tests, avenues have u pursued??

[aimee37]

I get flicker on the lower edges of my vision when I don't sleep enough.  It looks like 60 cycles to me and the frequency of the flicker seems the same with every occurence.  I think its from pc monitor and from the tv. I also get migraines from too much time on the computer.

[aimee37]

Hi, I was wondering if you still have the flickering eyesight. I have this for 9 months now and the retinaspecialist told me twice he can't do anything?
Greetzz, Nancy

[aimee37]

I am so glad I'm not the only one experiencing similar symptoms. About a year ago patterns that would not normally bother me started looking like they were vibrating. The backs of wooden kitchen chairs with rungs, the slats on blinds, and other line patterns had this weird vibrational jumpiness. Then it progressed to the bark of trees, leaves, photos on magazine covers, etc. Now I notice that there's a very subtly flicker (snow is a good word someone else used) for almost everything. This has come with an onset of periodic dizziness. Because I've had tinnitus for years, an ENT diagnosed me with Meniere's, failing to take into account the vision thing, which I feel must be related. Eventually i'm supposed to have an MRI. I see an ophthalmoligist next week, but the first one I went to had never head of this vibrating vision, and said I have good eyes, so I probably won't find out much. But I'll bring her the posts I've found this page and another on medhelp so she can see I'm not alone! If we get some answers, I'll post!
(Does anyone else have dizziness?)

[aimee37]

I am from Sri Lanka and have the symptoms discussed in this thread. Shimmering lights, floaters in both eyes and occasional dizziness.
I was diagnosed with sinusitis and allergic rhinitis, so I am thinking that this has something to do with it. Also I went through a stressful period last week and this shimmering lights started to appear after that and it is now constantly appearing. I am using the computer screen a lot and I thought it had something to do with it. It relieving to know that I am not the only person and it will not kill me. Hope more people will post to this thread with their diagnostics. Wish you all good health.

[Abid1973]

A related discussion, Flickering Eye Ball was started.

[omafour]

A related discussion, Flickering eyesight was started.