Visual field anomaly

[chapo]

Dear Dr, in the past year I have noticed some things in my vision. A basic description is when I'm outside I will see in the distance a pulse of light like a signal mirror, it comes on and goes off in a split second.  I see it in the distance when I look up.  The other thing is what looks like a small dark shape moving along, again just a split second.  At first I just about jumped off the chair as I thought it was a spider or something.  It is normally something I see at night while just siting watching tv.  It is more to the perphery of my visual field.  Once it was centered and it was about the size of a fist sliding along the top of a chair about 10 feet in front of me.  There is no pain or migrain at these times, I have had an op at young age to fix a squint.  Im a healthy 38 yo male.  Does this sound nuerologic or opthalmic? Should it be investigated.
Thanks

[AllyWine]

I have been reading the neurology/neurosurgery posts with a growing sense of disbelief. Things have certainly changed in the 13 years since my trans-spenoidal surgery on a subarachnoid cyst at Cleveland Clinic. I am surprised that you would automatically discount visual anomalies, since they can be a sign of optic chiasm displacement. An opthamologist is a good idea, but what about other symptoms? Headaches, body weakness, diabetes insipidus from pressure, inability to control body temperature because of the pituitary/hypothalmus displacement? What about an endocrinologist to test cortisol levels? Do you sincerely believe that because arachnoid cysts/subarachnoid cysts are often found by accident that they are harmless?? I had fenestration surgery again in 2005. They found scarring on my optic nerve. I have reduced visual acuity. I have diabetes insipidus, generalized weakness, and constant headache. My subAC is in the suprasellar region, displacing both optic chiasm and pituitary, and wraps around my right carotid. My neurosurgeon here takes ACs very seriously.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

You should have it investigated.

It sounds to me more ophthalmological, so a visit first to an ophthalmologist would be in order - maybe from a problem in the cornea (like a cataract) or a retina problem. They can also assess the likeliehood of a neurological problem as they also look at visual fields and the optic nerve. It is more likely ophtho related in only present in one eye, although this does not exclude optic nerve disease.

Good luck

[shawnalb]

hello. this is for the dr also.  address me as "shawn" i am not able to post a comment still, says forum is full?? there have only been 2 posts today,????i'm cheating a little.

quickly after searching forum, found i "might" have for 15 years or so been having mild seizures.havin feeling of deja-vu before always let it pass, never does much more then make me feel weird and tired for about a minute.  decided to see what it might be after doing this more intensely a couple weeks ago, i did notice this time is was day before my cycle.  i have never noticed before if that's when i tend to do it, i do however feel it's around stressful, hectic days.  these episodes are also very few and far between.

fainted and son was with me and i had a seizure very briefly.  could this be hormonal?  i do have history of anxiety and depr that goes back to 1990 after son born. also had a major depressive episode once.  1986 had a possible head injury although no concussion in cheerleading jumping backwards off a pyramid and was dropped and hit my head. wind knocked out of me is all i can think of. i'm scared.??  and to boot know that i'm worrying i'm having anxiety again. now i can't tell difference between that and possible symptoms i need to share with doc.  fyi also stopped my zoloft 2 months ago after being on 5 years do to weight gain.

[shawnalb]

oh i apologize. i didn't know that. sorry to the visual field anomaly above!

[Christie2004]

as an FYI--I think there are only 2 new questions allowed per day, so that is why the forum was full when you tried.

You'll have your best success posting between 8a-10a EST.  Sometimes you have to try for weeks before you are successful.  The doc doesn't usually answer questions tagged onto someone elses thread, so don't be suprised if you don't get an answer.