Sun Damage

About three days ago I went for a swim, while swimming on my back my mind drifted away and I ended up staring at the sun for about three minutes, might be longer I'm not sure. Now I have a blind spot at the center of my vision, whatever I try to focus my sight on, I see a yellow/white circle instead, sometimes it;s flickering sometimes not. I'm 20 years old, healthy as a horse, I have no eye problems, and I have never NEVER had a headache in my life. Is this permanent ? I thought it would fade away in time, but it;s been three days now and I'm getting seriously concerned, I can't read and I had to turn the blindness aid option on my laptop. It's weird cause I can see everything else around the blind spot, nothing is blurry. Please I'm very worried, any help is appreciated

[AntonReiser]

Please go ASAP to an ophthalmologist. Don't wait any longer!
This is an solar retinitis which needs quick treatment.

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

Yes, call an Eye MD ophthalmologist IMMEDIATELY and relay what happened you can burn out your maculas from staring at the sun. As antonreser says it likely is solor maculopathy.

JCH MD

[Mnemosyne73]

I went to the doctor yesterday, she did a vision field test and a Retina Dilation test and said that everything checks out, except my eyes were a little dry so she gave me an eye drop GENTEAL and said to return in a week, she said if I did do any damage to my eyes it would take about 7 to 10 days for anything to appear on her tests. She didn't mention anything about Solar Maculopathy, (is that the same as Solar Retintis?)
Should I go see another doctor? or wait for my next appointment?

[des900]

See a Retina Specialist (Eye MD specialized on Retina portion of Eye).

[AntonReiser]

What about the blind spot in your vision? Did it disappear? Did it get better?
Having read your post I thought you could have a macular edema.
Please read:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Solar-Retinopathy---A-Serious-Condition-Of-Your-Eyes&id=200431

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

Absolutely see a retina specialist. I suspect you saw an optometrist. Use a search engine and read aabout "Amsler Grid Test", print out a grid and test your eyes. Plot the blind spot. Do the test daily to see if getting bigger or smaller. Find an Eye MD retina ophthalmologist near you at www.aao.org    Get in tomorrow. The longer you wait the less can be done.

JCH MD

[kjelltp]

Just curious, why would the spot get bigger after the fact (grow)?  Delayed celluar necrosis?

[walkietalkie]

probably much ado about nothing. I spend lots of time outdoors, swimming, etc., and so are many people. Never heard of such thing. I know you can get eye damage if you watch solar eclipse unaided, but looking at the sun for a few minutes?

[Mnemosyne73]

I went to a Retina Specialist today, he did the same tests the other doctor did, and he ordered two other tests, I can't remember the names, something to test the color and another for the topography of the eye and I think I heard the word florescent somewhere in the middle !
The spot is now bordering black, sometimes it's blank other times flickering but mostly now it's like looking at a static TV. screen. I read the article AntonReiser mentioned and that corticosteroids and antioxidants can help, so I told the doctor to just give me this stuff, and he was like NO, gotta do the tests, the thing is they cost like $400 and I don't have insurance, so my question here is, which doctor should I stick with? cause I mentioned the name of my first doctor and apparently she's well known, but it seems to me like they're both doing the same tests, and I can't afford to pay both of them...
Almost forgot, the Amsler Grid Test, I can see everything crystel clear except the black spot at the center, like I mentioned before the spot I'm seeing is at the center of my vision and it's bog enough to cover the entire spot on the grid.
Thank you everyone for your replies, I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond : )
  

[des900]

If its not worsening or progressing or it doesn't create any other symptoms like pain,floater's,flashes,further blurring etc then its a good idea not to do any further tests & treatments and rely on body's own natural healing mechanism.

Taking antioxidant tablets is useful for retina, you can ask your ophthalmologist to prescribe one.