Sparkling In Vision

For about the past week I've been having a sparkle to my vision when looking at the sky. I've had floaters for a while, but this is different. After about a second I notice sparkles all over the place and go right away if i focus onto something dark (like the lawn or trees). I am also noticing some of the sparkling in normal vision just looking around. I've been to 2 respected retinal surgeons in my area and they say my retina is fine and that it may be a sign of a type of migraine.

Could it be anything else? I also have some other neurologic symptoms (tinnitus, tingling, pain) but MRI's/test have not shown anything. Has anyone had something similar and a low-dose migraine medication did the trick?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

It isn't suggestive of migraine. It is suggestive of an entopic phenomena known as the blue field effect or "flying corpsule" phenomena.

Use the search feature to read more and read the www.wikipedia.com section on entopic phenomena.

JCH MD

[cabinman]

Thank you Dr Hagan.

From those articles I'm reading that it's more or less a "normal" visual side effect I'm noticing (if it's in fact that).

Would there be a special type of eye doctor to see to preform a "blue field entoptoscopy"? Would I be best seeing a general opthamologist, retina specialist, neuro-opthamologist, cornea specialist? Would you happen to know of anyone specific in the central NJ area?

[cabinman]

Also, does this phenomena come and go? Does it typically go away from time to time?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The awareness of it tends to come and go. Its present all the time. However it may be demonstrable only under certain conditions such as looking at a blue background like the sky.

I do not know anyone in your area. If you want to proceed further I would suggest a neuro-ophthalmologist (different than a neurologist). Find one near you at www.aao.org or most all medical school ophthalmology departments have one.

JCH MD