black spots when blinking at night-white line when blinking during day

[kylie02]

Hi, First off, I've been seen numerous times by a retinal specialist, I've seen 2 different doctors. I am myopic, about -5.50 and 42 yrs old female. Not every night, but sometimes when I'm 1st going to sleep or wakeup and get up in the night I'll notice a round black blob or black lines when blinking in the dark. I believe the black blob or lines are in both eyes.They are in central vision. I also notice a upper central, not peripheral white line, usually in left eye , not in the dark but in certain daylight when blinking. It fades away right after I blink. I've been noticing this white line on and off since Sept 05. I've seen 2 different retinal specialist 2 times since then and had a regular refraction eye doctor visit too. The last doctor I saw said everything looked fine  and maybe it's some kind of afterimage. He said I don't need to come back for 2 years unless something changes. I'm not sure if the black blob is new-I've had so many eye symptoms over the years ,I think I've noticed this before. Any ideas? Thankyou for your time.

[Forum-OD-MP]

yes, "pressure phosphene".  thats my guess.
read some of the posts by "mel".  similar experience.  good luck!

[mel07green]

wow, that IS very similar to what i am experiencing. (gray streak that flashes in certain  lighting conditions, not in the dark). it's interesting that you too have seen a retinal specialist and they have been unable to find an anatomical basis for it. it's worrying, isn't it? have you been offered any explantion, apart from the after image?

doctor, if there were a problem with the optic nerve, would the specialist be able to see that during a dilated exam? would there be an uneven pupil reaction???

[who_is_this]

Mel, you promised!

[Ag-i-doc]

retinal problems are not generally missed by any eye doctor, much less multiple eye doctors, much much less multiple eye doctors where one or more of them are a retinal specialists.

uneven pupil responses is a very BASIC eye test that most nurses can perform, and almost no eye doctor of any kind would ever, ever miss.  plus "afferent pupillary defect" (which is wat you are talking about) usually takes years to develop.  they dont usually happen in acute retinal problems.

if you have been seen my a retinal specialist and they said you are fine, it is highly unlikely that you have some serious retinal problem.

[mel07green]

i know, i know ... i've made a promise to myself that i will stop doing this after my eye appointment wednesday, when i hope to have some questions answered either way ...
Doctor, can you tell me whether optic nerve problems always cause that pupil defect?
(I am trying to narrow down questions to ask the specialist ... )

[Ag-i-doc]

no.  optic nerve damage does not *always* cause pupil defects.  but it frequently does.