Flickering in eye - optical migrane?

[TineBiene7]

About once a week, I have a vision disturbance, which starts as a tiny flickering dot that gets larger and larger and turns into an irregular type of circle.  The edges of the semi-circle are like jagged "saw-type" sharp edges in brilliant colors. At first it seemed that I was seeing this in both eyes, but recently I have been able to pin it down to my left eye only. When I close my eyes I can still see the visual disturbance, only the colors are more vibrant. The semi-circle gets larger and larger until it is out of my peripheral vision, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes.  During this episode, I am unable to focus on anything (can’t read or see clearly) and my left eye feels almost like it is somewhat swollen (doesn’t look swollen though).  My general practice doctor seems to think it sounds like an optical migraine, except for the fact that I’ve never had migraines, and I rarely have regular headaches. I also do not have any pain to go with the visual disturbances. I have read many similar complaints from others online and those people have seen several experts, however, nothing was ever found to be wrong.  I really don’t want to waste my time and money to see an ophthalmologist just to be told “we can’t find anything wrong”.  So my question is:  could this be an optical migraine, and if so, how is it treated?  If this is a-typical of an optical migraine, then what else could it be?

[cp12345]

Hello, I used to get these a lot too (when I stared at the computer for too long)  Mine was a square in my left eye with a lot of different colors.  It's just a visual migrane, even if you don't get any pain after.  I used to get a very bad headache after the square went away, but some people don't feel any pain after.  I don't really know how its treated other than laying down, drinking some water, and probably some pain killer (asprin, tylenol, etc.)  I'm no doctor but I've been told its nothing to worry about, so you probably shouldn't worry about it, as long as they don't last a wicked long time.  Mine only lasted a half hour or so..

[plala]

I get them too. Same exact thing...circle, jagged edge, in one eye, can't focus.  It was very scary the first time it happened, but I have been assured by a number of doctors that it is, in fact, an optical migrane. I never get a headache with it either. I actually read an article about this in a medical journal which had 100's of people describing the exact same thing as both you and I are, confirming that this is what it is. Try not to worry too much about it!

[garibaldi1]

Hi,

I get this infrequently - I actually have it right now which is why I am researching it.

I tend to get it only following (fairly strenuous) exercise - usually about 30 minutes afterwards and it then lasts for 30-60 minutes.

Should I see a doctor?

Thanks

[hangel2626]

i see white spots last about a couple of minutes... I have a lump smaller than a dime size on the back of my head... and pain in my neck.... the eye doctor said it's an opitcal migrane but i'm worried that it could be something else... just wondering if anyone had any advice for me...

[Polly999]

I'm glad to know it's nothing serious.  I was about to run to the eye doctor thinking I had a tumor pressing on my optic nerve.   It started yesterday with a jagged colorful lightning bolt in my left eye and right now it's a jagged circle.  It reminds me of the eye test they do at the doctor office.  No pain so I'm thankful for that.  It probably is from staring at a computer screen for 8-10 hrs a day.

[liztoo]

I just spent the several hours in the ER last night because the doctor wanted to make sure I was not having a stroke. My CTscans were clear and I was relieved. I also had no pain but was somewhat concerned because I knew nothing about optical migranes, or stroke symptems. I called a friend this morn and she is the one who said I was having an optical migrane. I came to this site to look for info and found this chat group. I am relieved to know that so many of us have the same symptoms. I have all of mine in my right eye, but I am left handed so don't know if that makes a difference, since all of the other people commenting have had them on the left eye. Just wanted to share so maybe it will help save someone the time and money to not have to go to the hospital. I have been told there is nothing to be done to prevent them, so guess we just deal with them when they come...Could be worse that's what I'm talking about.....Better a eye trip than a ambulance.

[jame8065]

Hi I am glad I am not alone - I have recently started seeing zig-zag flashing/flickering light in what I think is my right eye - it lasts about 5 minutes and then goes away.   I also find it difficult to read anything as my eyes can't focus properly on one side of my sight.  I don't have any headaches but I am experiencing neck ache so I was thinking it might be related to that?   The eye doctors seems to think there is nothing wrong with me so I am just hoping it is nothing too serious and I am hoping it will go away once my neck ache goes!

[PinkLady63]

I just had my first two of these. I had one yesterday and thought I had stared into a light. Then I had one this afternoon at work. It started out as just a small arc and then expanded to a almost a complete circle. Bright and flashing with zigzagged lines in the flashing part. I went outside for a few minutes and that seemed to help. It lasted for a total of half an hour. It seems to be in my left eye (right handed). Hope I don’t get any more.

It really scared me. I mentioned it to a co-worker and she mentioned this Optic Migraine  - so here I am researching it. It is nice to know that I am not alone.

[Stace05]

I just experianced an optical migrane today. I wasn't sure what it was and it really scared me as it did others. I started to notice bright blurred zig zag lines in the right eye (I'm also right handed so don't think this has anything to do with it). It lasted not longer than 20 mins, but I did go to the emergency room just to be on the safe side since I didn't know what it was at the time. They too told me it was an optical migrane. The information they gave me was that they are very rare, people who get headaches often get them and they last about 15-20 mins. He did mention if I started to get them more frequent to go see a neurologist but feels that wasn't necessary now since this was my first one.

[gkaplan]

I have experienced this about 4 times, and have experienced a pattern. Like many, I went to a doctor and she concluded optical migraine. The pattern always is the same. First, I get an area in my vision that I can no longer see - for instance, if I'm looking at a headline of text, maybe the last few letters are invisible - a small black hole. I first noticed it while watching TV, where I was no longer able to see detail in the center of my field of vision. Then, I kept having the sensation that there was something flickering, and I slowly became more aware of what seemed like a jagged blurry line in my vision, with lots of colors in it, that appeared to be flickering. Even with my eyes closed, I could see the line. I freaked out and started walking home, and within about 10 to 15 minutes, everything was back to normal.

Now I can predict them. I work on the computer a lot, and when I notice the inability to see a small part of whatever I'm looking at, I know it's starting, and sure enough, within about 10 minutes, the flickering line shows up. 10 to 15 minutes later, it is gone, and everything is back to normal.

I wonder what triggers it. Last night I got a tiny bit drunk (I rarely drink, so this is uncommon), so that is the only thing I can pinpoint as a trigger.

[chariaoke]

hi,
I also have this and have for 5 yrs. it looks like your seeing through a colidascope that gets brighter and bigger then statrs to fade ! its scarey
I went to my family Dr. and he even has this and has done tons of research and sent me to the Eye Dr. & found it to be Optical nerve migraine and it starts in the brain, its a small siesure that makes a spasm in the optical nerve and the blood flow and oxigen cant get through to the eye and it gives most a very bad headache after the eyes start to clear up. my last one was really bad lasting for an hour or more till the eyes cleared... so back to the Dr. I went and they put me on anti seisure medication that they said has helped many to never get them again and even children ...so hope it works for me !  Also they said stress can cause them to happen more often.
hope this helps everyone
thanks

[bil4]

I am a 66 year old retired male (diabetic) who spent the last 25 working years on a computer but have been retired for 4 years.  Two weeks ago I started having optical migraines in my left eye, in fact I had 5 the first day.  I lost total vision in one eye each time.  Very scary.
I have been to my eye doctor (an MD) and then  a neurologist. I have had blood tests and also have had sonograms done on the arteries in the neck and the heart.  A  MRI and MR-A done  on the head and am scheduled to see an optical neurologist at his earliest convenience.  Mine have been triggered by a sneeze of a cough, have happened while laying down in a dark room and the last one was as I typed the first line of this note. I have come through all the tests clean with two exceptions,  my blood sugar, which has been in line for years is now gone up.   My last a1C was 5.7 and six months before it was 5.6. (For you non diabetics out there that is exceptional)  Now out of the blue after a 12 hour fast my Blood Sugar was 182  And my blood pressure which has always been text book ( 120/80)  has fallen   and was 84/40 . For the time being I am on anti migraine drugs ( nasty stuff that) and waiting .

[dana29]

I have actually had a few of these episodes myself. The first one that I had was so bad the dr rushed me to the er thinking I had a anerisum however you spell it. But the er said I had opticular migraines. I have had a couple of these over the past year. I am not sure about all the information with them. I just know that my sight is affected, it feels like im looking at the sun and looking away but the glow or light is still in my eyes, even when i close them. and i get dizzy or well it just makes me feel wrong when i go through this.