Re: Brief Flashes

Posted By John on May 23, 1999 at 09:55:15
Doctor:
This may be a bit of a strange question. How does one descibe the flashing lights that may be seen with lattice degeneration?. My most recent exam 2 months ago was OK,and my retinal specialist stated that how my eyes are, he thinks my first indication of trouble would be a shower of floaters, not the flashing lights. Once or twice, upon opening my eyes in the middle of the night recently,I get a brief sensation of a "flicker" in my vision----similar to a flouresent lick flicker-lasted only a few seconds and stopped when a looked elsewhere. Happened weeks apart. Never happened during the day. My doctor once decribed the flashes to look for as lightning streaks. I see some "sparks" in my vision after a sneeze occasionally, and this has been checked as normal.  I guess my main question is this: would the flashing lights be seen during the day as well other than just at night as I described, and more frequently? I read that it is normal to get some light flashes as we get older as long as they are not seen with a shower of floaters. I am 39, with lattice and high myopia. Thank you for taking the time to respond, and for this terrific resource for people with questions.

[HFHS M.D.-NI]

Posted By HFHS MD - NI on May 23, 1999 at 12:42:57
John,
It is very nice to see people who take active interest in their condition.  Since you have high myopia and lattice degeneration, you are at a higher risk for a retinal detachment.  However, the risk is still low.  The retinal responds to both light and pulling by perceiving light.  This is why flashing lights are important.  It is not uncommon to see flashing lights after sneezing as the pressure is transmitted to the retina.  Floaters are more concerning.  Flashing lights are also more concerning if they are persistant.
You should continue to maintain routine followup with your retina specialist and immediately inform him or her if you notice increased floaters or flashes.
This information is provided for educational purposes only.  Please consult with your physician for diagnostic and treatment options.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD - NI










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