Flashing lights

Hello, I would like to seek some medical advice for my girlfriend. She is 19, and is overall in good health, shes lean, has no medical history problems. She has had flashing lights before from migraines in the past, but recently she has had different flashing lights in her eyes for 2 weeks now. Everyday she has flashing lights, no floaters, and the light is actually around her eye, and sometimes directly in the center of her vision, it appears as a flashing light in oblong shapes, they move with her eyes. During the last two weeks they have not gotten worse, or better, but have been consistent, the only change is that her peripheral vision has decreased slightly. She has seen a doctor and they said there is nothing wrong with her retina, and her eyes look fine. The doctor believed the decreased peripheral vision is from the strain the flashing lights are causing on her eyes. The doctor has made an appointment for her to see a special ophthalmologist 2 weeks from now. I am wondering if I should take her to the hospital instead because I dont want her to wait long for medical attention if this is a serious matter.

Thanks

[DulceG]

Hello, I work at an opthomologist office and get phone calls everyday with these same conditions. Most people would think that the signs your girlfriend is having is retinal detatchment, which is a very serious issue. But I would also say that maybe she could just be having an ocular migraine, which, unfourtantly there is nothing that can really be done. Others would say that maybe it's just hormones which can play a GIANT factor into the human eye.
The flashes of light are a concern and if I were you, I would call back to the opthomo. office you made an appointment with and see if you can be seen same day. Any office would see you same day if you are having flashes of light.
If she is seeing something that looks like spiderwebs or a black curtain, she needs to be seen IMMEDIATELY.

Just call back and let them know about all the flashes of lights and decrease in vision.
If they are a good opthomo., they'll get you in same day.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Petro777 did a nice job on the issue.  At at this young age a serious problem is less likely.

Dr. O