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Eye Care (Expert Forum)
Please help - Daily persistent visual disturbances. NEED possible explanations
Answered by
Cabarrus Eye Center
NC
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Please help - Daily persistent visual disturbances. NEED possible explanations
by Noelle77, Oct 15, 2009 12:39PM
32 year old female. Myopia and astigmatism. Bouts of visual disturbances since 21.
This past summer ( Late June ) they began again, DAILY and have NOT STOPPED . I have been to many ophthalmologists for dilated eye exams and they say my eyes are normal, except for some vitreous
thinning. Last month I went to an eye hospital for a purple thing stuck in my left eye for days. They diagnosed it as migraine I DO get severe headaches, but they seem unrelated to these visual disturbances. I had a classic migraine a few years ago, the classic aura, and blind spots, then the most severe headache in my life.
What I see - purple, green, red and white orbs, specks, some drift by ( tiny
white stars) on their own, others stay ' stuck' anywhere from a few seconds to several hours, or
sometimes, like my purple spot, weeks. Sometimes they flash in a metallic way. Some are large, but I have no vision loss. The purple is the most prevalent, sometimes lavender. These change color depending on what color background I am looking at.
I see them even with my eyes closed, they appear as dark shapes.
usually see 1 or 2 at a time, at the rate of up to 50 per day.
My mother has had ocular migraines
Father was a heavy LSD user before I was born. I heard a
father's psychedelic use can tamper with the child's brain chemistry. Alot of my
symptoms sound like HPPD butI’ve never taken lsd.
Scoliosis.
Last summer, after taking effexor for two years, I became
delusional, feverish, unable to control bodily functions, manic, confused, paranoid, had hallucinations, and was rushed to the hospital. .Believe I had serotonin syndrome.
The weeks leading up to that episode I was having episodes of waking up in the
middle of the night, and if I moved my arm, I would see several arms moving with it. I was seeing matrix code scrolling on my ceiling.
Could a persistent migraine aura manifest this way? This many times a day?
Could any of the above be the cause of these visual symptoms?
This past summer ( Late June ) they began again, DAILY and have NOT STOPPED . I have been to many ophthalmologists for dilated eye exams and they say my eyes are normal, except for some vitreous
thinning. Last month I went to an eye hospital for a purple thing stuck in my left eye for days. They diagnosed it as migraine I DO get severe headaches, but they seem unrelated to these visual disturbances. I had a classic migraine a few years ago, the classic aura, and blind spots, then the most severe headache in my life.
What I see - purple, green, red and white orbs, specks, some drift by ( tiny
white stars) on their own, others stay ' stuck' anywhere from a few seconds to several hours, or
sometimes, like my purple spot, weeks. Sometimes they flash in a metallic way. Some are large, but I have no vision loss. The purple is the most prevalent, sometimes lavender. These change color depending on what color background I am looking at.
I see them even with my eyes closed, they appear as dark shapes.
usually see 1 or 2 at a time, at the rate of up to 50 per day.
My mother has had ocular migraines
Father was a heavy LSD user before I was born. I heard a
father's psychedelic use can tamper with the child's brain chemistry. Alot of my
symptoms sound like HPPD butI’ve never taken lsd.
Scoliosis.
Last summer, after taking effexor for two years, I became
delusional, feverish, unable to control bodily functions, manic, confused, paranoid, had hallucinations, and was rushed to the hospital. .Believe I had serotonin syndrome.
The weeks leading up to that episode I was having episodes of waking up in the
middle of the night, and if I moved my arm, I would see several arms moving with it. I was seeing matrix code scrolling on my ceiling.
Could a persistent migraine aura manifest this way? This many times a day?
Could any of the above be the cause of these visual symptoms?
Doctor's Answer
by Sandra M Brown, MD, Oct 24, 2009 09:49AM
, Oct 24, 2009 09:49AMTo: Noelle777
Your visual symptoms are consistent with ocular migraine. Vision is processed in the occipital cortex, which is located in the back part of the brain. With ocular migraine, the occipital cortex is irritable (for any number of reasons) and is "signalling" vision information which is not really coming from your eyes. You do not have to get a headache for the diagnosis to be ocular migraine. The "snow" sensation, which I have heard described rarely, is likely part of the same problem.
You might consider working with a neurologist who specializes in migraine management to find a medication and diet and lifestyle regimen that reduces your symptoms. There is a lot about the biochemistry of migraine that we don't understand. There is no easy fix.
You might consider working with a neurologist who specializes in migraine management to find a medication and diet and lifestyle regimen that reduces your symptoms. There is a lot about the biochemistry of migraine that we don't understand. There is no easy fix.
Member Comments (3)
by Noelle77, Oct 15, 2009 12:49PM
To: Noelle77
I had to chop this up to fit within the character limit. One other thing to note - I also have visual snow - my whole life, but it got worse recently. This really is no way for someone to live. I can't live like this much longer.
by Noelle77, Oct 24, 2009 03:35PM
To: Sandra M Brown, MD
Thank you so very much.
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