Still Seeing a Flash

[mrgossett]

Hello- A few weeks ago I started seeing some floaters and other new things in my right eye's vision. Besides the floaters, I was seeing a shimmering kind of band in my far right side vision that was driving me up the wall. It was more noticeable when I was beside something white or light colored, but was there to some degree all the time. I also noticed seeing a quick, split-second arc of light when I looked quickly to the far right. I could only see that in the dark. I went to my opthalmologist that I have gone to for years, who is excellent, and he immediately did a dilated exam, with both the slit lamp and the indirect opthamascope. The exam was very thorough. The exam showed a floater large enough for him to see that he described as looking like a "blob." He said that the problems were being caused by changes in the vitreous (jelly) inside the eye that happen as we get older (I'm 55), but otherwise I was ok, with no retina problems. He said to watch for more floaters and any other new changes in the eye and to come back if that happened. He also said that the floaters might lessen/disappear in a month or two.

So, I was naturally relieved that there were no major problems. Indeed, the floaters have lessened a lot in just about 3 weeks. That shimmering thing in my side vision has turned into more of a hair/line thing that I don't notice nearly as much. But I'm still noticing that quick flash or arc of light in the dark when I look to the right quickly. It's no worse, but no better.

My question for you is- Is there much of a chance that something could have been missed in the dilated exams that needs more attention? Do I need to let him know that the flash thing is still happening and go back, since the other symptoms are getting better, or just wait and give it more time? The exam was only about 3 weeks ago. Thanks for any advice...

[froggiejump]

Hey there, Mr Gossett,

I posted about similar symptoms to yours. I had my eyes checked and it seems it's something to do with traction, though the eye doctor couldn't see anything. I was told to just adopt a "wait and see" attitude.

I think maybe the flash you see at night is a normal entoptic thing, but you are just being hypervigillant of your eyesight. at least that was the case with me. It seems the more I check my vision, the more weird things I notice, and then can't "un-notice".

Maybe the doctor could comment on whether this is a know phenomenon?

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

Please review recent postings on this sight. An arcing light with sudden eye moves at night when the eye is dark adapted can be a normal entoptic phenomena.  However if the flashes occur without eye movement then you need a follow up exam.

Please report immediately any sudden increase of floaters, flashes during the day or loss of side vision.

JCH III MD    Ophthalmologist  = Eye MD