Bizarre visual symptoms no doctor can explain

Hi! Well, this story might be interesting to read, anyway, and who knows, maybe somebody has some ideas as to what it might be. A few months ago, I started seeing something that looked kind of like a visual migraine aura. It was a lot more noticeable in my left eye at first, but it was in both eyes. A month and a half ago, it became much more noticeable in my right eye. I went to the Casey Eye Institute right away (because I do have actual eye problems, including non-age-related macular problems.) However, they did every conceivable kind of exam, including a dye-enhanced angiogram, and then said that the pre-existing problems I already had were basically stable and just did not explain what I was now seeing at all.

To explain that more fully, my visual symptoms look like a cross between a visual migraine aura in its earlier stages and an afterimage (like what you'd see after looking at a bright image.) There is a large spot in front of both eyes, although the spots are differently shaped. They are bright for a brief amount of time with my eyes closed. With them open, they are only visible as distinct and clear shapes when squinting. With eyes open, then they're kind of... both darker and bright and incandescent at the same time. The best analogy I can think of is the purplish UV  lights used to grow plants, although they're brighter than that. Also, the centers "sizzle or "scintillate", which is what really makes me think of a visual migraine. They REALLY interfere with vision, making everything fuzzy and wavy (and yes, I was checked to see if the macular problems were getting worse-- that wasn't it at all.) All of this is constant.  I've had three migraines in the past month and a half, which is a lot and way above normal, but I haven't had a constant migraine, either.

One doctor has already said he'd never seen this in seventeen years of practice, and they didn't know what it was at the CEI, either. I had basic neurology tests done last week and the neurologist said I passed those, so he didn't think the problem was anything immediately and clearly obvious. I had an EEG and enhanced MRI done, and I'll get the results back this week. So..., I guess I would like to hear if anyone has had anything similar happen to them, or if anybody's even heard of anything like this!! Thanks.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

You should see a neuro-ophthalmologist.  I believe Dr. Tom Shultz is at Casey.  Migraines originate from the brain and not from the eye.  This is a clinical diagnosis and MRI tests should be normal.

Dr. O.

[Corelsi]

Thanks! :) I really appreciate your answer and your taking time to read the long explanation. The only thing I wonder about is why the visual symptoms *also* look kind of like persistent retinal afterimages in both eyes. (Okay, that's not the only thing I wonder about!) I'll see if they do refer me to a neuro-op... um, the ones at Casey aren't going to take Humana is the only thing. But nothing is as important as good treatment, I guess.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

After image is a retinal problem.

Dr. O.