Woke Up With Spots In Eye

[mjlogan2001]

Hello,
Woke up Monday morning and began looking around the room. I noticed something odd in the upper left of center of my field of vision. It was an odd shaped spot, the kind you get from a camera flash or staring at bright lights. I could see through it, it wasn't black. I was panicking becuase it was my only eye with sight. It lasted about and hour and faded away. But when it faded away, I still had the remaining outline of the spot. I could see it against white walls and the blue sky. Went to the eye doctor for a dilated retinal exam. Doctor said all was normal. He felt it was an ocolar migraine or my vitreous tugging on my retina, I also have a posterior vitriol detatchment from a few years back. Two days later, I  can still see a faint outline of the spot against white backgrounds or the blue sky. I'm concerned because I have a history of retinal detachments. Anyone else have a similar experience? I'm concerned about a the early stages of a retinal tear. Thanks

[JohnHaganMD]

Vitreous tug on the retina does not cause those symptoms. It causes a very bright light of very short duration like a bolt of lightening. The light you describe might have come from an ocular migraine which may or may not have a headache associated with it. there are other causes which are related to disease of the heart, brain or blood vessels. these sometimes can be TIA (transient ischemic attacks). Assuming the eye doctor you saw was a eye MD ophthalmologist we can assume your retina did not have something like a branch retinal vein or artery occlusion. If you saw an optometrist not an ophthalmologist eye MD you need to see an eye MD. You should see your personal physician for a general physical exam. If these episodes reoccur you may need to see a neurologist.

[mjlogan2001]

Thank you very much for your response. He is an optometrist, but specializes in neuro optometry. He has nearly 50 years of practice experience. Could a branch retinal vein or artery occlusion be detected in a dilated retinal exam or does it require further testing?

[JohnHaganMD]

Okay so get back to my point. No matter which way you cut it an optometrist is not a physician, has not been to medical school, has not had a residency and does not have a skill set of an ophthalmologist. So see an ophthalmologist if you can a neuro-ophthalmologist.

[mjlogan2001]

Thank you, will do!

[JohnHaganMD]

Good luck