visual disturbances seem to be getting worse

ok let me start off with the basics. I am 22, I have seen a few floaters in the past ( a few years ago) and they went away within a few days.  January of 08 I had my second child.  I was put on a new birth control right afterwards.  We moved back to NC and shortly after the move I began seeing floaters again, this time there were lots of them, shortly after that i began seeing little sparks of light randomly when i looked at the sky, driving is complicated now.  Also at night when looking at street lights or red lights there are rings around them, very shiny rings like light is bursting from them, but it doesn't move its just there so it makes it very hard to drive at night.  There seams to be a haze around anything lit up, the numbers on a digital clock, a flame has a haze around it.  when i look at things and turn my eyes away quickly i still see the image.  Im not sure what that is called.  it is very hard to go outside without sunglasses.  Im not sensitive to the light, i just see light very strangely.  I stoped the birth control 3 weeks ago and the symptoms seam to be getting worse, not better.  I have had a ct scan with contrast and it came back normal. I had a thyroid test, and the results were low, but not low enough to take medication.  Im schedueled for a follow up on the 22nd, but i have no idea what to do.  I have had a lot of things go on before all this started, and a lot more things after it started so I don't know if stress and anxiety could be a cause of these visual disturbances, if so i don't know how to calm down enough for them to go away, they are actually making it worse for me to calm down.  If anyone could tell me something I would appreciate it.thanks!

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Agree with above.  Make sure an ophthalmologist can see you to rule out keratitis, glaucoma, cataract, retinal tear or detachment or vitreous detachment.  After a thorough exam, I think you will be feeling much better - because it is the worrying that is the biggest problem.

MJK MD

[dukey]

Have you had a retina exam?

[jonjon20110]

Hey there,

The vast majority of floaters are harmless, but you should still have a dialated exam by an Opthalmologist, just to rule anything out.

As for the hazyness, have you ever had the pressure in your eyes checked?  I was born with glaucoma and halos, starbursts, haze around lights are one of the symptoms of high intraocular pressure (IOP).  So have the Opth. take a look at that as well.

[mrspenny]

I have lazy eye, so i have had my eyes checked at least once a year since the age of 2.  Pressure is fine, i have seen an optamologist 3 times in the past 8 months and they were all different people and said there is nothing wrong with my eyes.  Im taking thyroid medication right now.  just started a few days ago, for hypothyroidism.  my dr, is monitoring the levels closley and hopefully if that is the problem it will start subsiding around 4 weeks into the treatment.  That is the only thing that has come back abnormal in all the tests that i have had done.  If anyone thinks of anything else please let me know. thank you for your input!

[mrspenny]

i ment optomatrist not opthamologist :)

[TRomie]

i am having the exact same symptoms, and also turning 23 next month.  was wondering if you have had any changes with the medication?

[summerluvr]

I have similar experiece (glare/ haze / flashes). Mine turned out to be related to my turned eye. I had it fixed a few years ago, but it's now turned back in a worse postion (inward, but also upward). You may want to ask if your eye has moved to a worse position.

[mrspenny]

Hi, thank you guys for your responces.  I haven't had any change with the medication.  I wish there were some good news, but nothing has changed, if anything its gotten slightly worse.  I am going to an opthamologist wednesday, so we'll see what they say.  i haven't heard anything about the eye turning causing these symptoms, but maybe that is something the dr on wed can tell me about.  when i find out i'll let you guys know!

thanks again, vicki