Visual Disburbances

I have a question, and I apologize if it's already been asked before.  I am currently undiagnosed but have symptoms of MS.  Has anyone else experienced visual disturbances such as increased eye floaters, decreased peripheral vision, or flashes of light?  My floaters appeared last September, along with my other symptoms (vertigo, numbness, weakness in left leg, stiff hands), and I have recently had bright but brief flashes in my eyesight, mostly in my peripheral vision.  I went to the opthatmologist who said my retina is intact and my floaters and flashes could be attributed to cataracts.  Are light flashes and floaters a common symptom of MS?  I would appreciate your comments, as my vision problems are the scariest of all my symptoms.

Thanks,
Kelly

[Karen99]

My experience:  In 1999 I experienced zig-zag pulsating lines in my peripheral vision.   This occurred while I was driving and the car in front of me sent a bright glare of light off the back window. This continued for about 2 hours while sitting in a restaurant with my granddaughter.  I thought I was having a stroke and gave instructions to the waitress in case I collapsed.  About the same time I began having a "neurological bladder" which causes you to have to pee with great frequency and urgency, sometimes with little results.  Many visits to various doctors could not find the cause.  

Stiffness:  About the same time I thought I had stiff man disease (I think that's an actual name of a diagnosis).  I had stiffness and pain.  Test showed no arthritis and no osteoporosis.  

Color Saturation: My vision acquity was never ever affected but I KNEW something was wrong with my eyesight. Colors appeared whitewashed.  Just looking at the color red and green bothered me greatly.  This occurred during Christmas where there were plenty of red and green flashing lights everywhere.  I had heard of people who had seizures brought on by by flashes of lights or even the TV.  I never had a seizure but felt that flashes of lights went right into my brain.  It was unsettling.

I was running around frantic to every eye doctor available. Each of them came up with something different that made no sense, except a keen opthatmologist  who tested my vision in great detail but everything was normal.  He told me that vision changes can be very subtle and said he did NOT doubt what I was telling him. (doctors can learn a lot if they would only LISTEN!)  He was the first to suggest I get an MRI ASAP with my other symptoms of muscle stiffness/weakness/pain.  Later I had optic neurits which got me my diagnosis of MS confirmed by an MRI. (I had numbness and burning sensations at the time of my 1st MRI which showed lesions in the brain and a healed lesion in my cervical spine.)

MS rears it's head in weird ways and everyone is different.  When my eyesight went bezerk, I already suspected MS for 1 1/2 years.  Other than hyper-reflexes my neurological exam was/is normal even when I had my 1st and only distinguishable flare from hell.  My entire body was numb, had to pee every 10 minutes, had double vision, and swipes of cold & hot sensations that drove me crazy.

One eye doctor told me I had cataracts too.  I don't.  I DO have a paleness of one of my optic nerves visible by the doctors who peer into your eyes with a light.  Only one eye doctor saw this and it is obvious to most neurologists.  Lesions to the optic nerve can be microscopic and not visible to the MRI but can cause symptoms.

I don't know if all this info helps, but a neurological appointment may be appropriate for you since you are experiencing weakness, numbness, etc.  My vision problems at that time scared the hell out of me too.  You need to get to the bottom of the cause, but don't be too alarmed because your retina is intact, and that is a very good thing.  Good luck.            

[Wobbly]

Hi there.. I'm not yet Dx with anything..but do have Neuro problems...my vision is double/blurry most of the time.. I have time when I get floater and flashing lights..mostly in the dark rooms .. but they aren't there all the time...

Have you been tested for Dry eyes?  I would get checked out by a Neuro opthomologist.. specialist..
take care
wobbly
undx

[uk2]

I am undx i too have eye problems pressure behind the eye,floters and blured and loss of vision with vertigo,weakness,painand other issues.

I have a few episodes of being worken by flashing lights at night suddenly when sleeping this rarely happens though.

I would see a neuro for sure and get a work up done.

sam

[deborah0904]

i have been dx'd and do have little flashes of bright lights.  Sometimes at night when my eyes are closed and I'm startled, I will see a bright flash of light.  During the day, I will see a small floating bright light that travels across the vision field.  In the summer while mowing and get hot, I see wavy floaters and my vision seems distorted.  I've had alot of blurry vision.  hope this helps.