Asphalt vision....

[LPNGirl07]

Hi, I'm a 28 year old female who recently started having visual changes. Lately when I'm outside on a bright day, I have noticed that I get this wavy effect w/ my vision. If I look up at the sky, it almost looks like heat coming off of asphalt on a hot day. Or it kind of looks like I'm lying on the bottom of a swimming pool, looking out and the water is sparkling with wavy lines- although the lines aren't really sparkly that I'm seeing. If that makes sense.... I had an eye exam recently to check up on a posterior vitreous detachment I had a few months ago in the right eye... The opthamologist said everything looked good. I am just wondering does this sound like something neurological, a retinal detachment, or migraines??

I had some multiple sclerosis like symptoms in 2002 after the birth of my daughter. I had an MS workup & everything came back normal at the time. My last brain MRI was in 2005 & I was told it was normal. I am pregnant w/ my 2nd child (14 weeks) so this symptoms is kinda freaking me out.

I noticed this symptom 2 other times prior to this pregnancy. Those episodes lasted only a few minutes & went away. The visual wavy line episodes I've been having lately are occuring daily for around 15-30 minutes. I haven't really noticed a bad headache when they've occured. I have noticed a mild dull headache a time or 2 when the visual episodes have occurred. Thank you....

[LPNGirl07]

Hi, I just wanted to update everyone on here on my condition, as I have posted a lot about having a partial PVD in my right eye. Well, I finally went to a retinal specialist at the Cleveland clinic, and I saw 2 different doctors there. I felt very comfortable with their opinions & felt they were excellent doctors! The retinal specialist I saw said "you don't have  a PVD... Your vitreous is intact & fine. You just have some normal liquifying of the vitreous. This is casting shadows on the retina causing u to see what u see..." He said my retinas were healthy & he gave me a clean bill of health! I am so upset w/ my local opthamologist for diagnosing me w/ a PVD in my right eye (my only good eye, left one clinically blind in), without doing further testing, or sending me to a retinal specialist. I went to the retinal specialist on my own. I am still having some waving in my vision here & there.... but he said I could be having some ocular migraine activity going on... but my eyes were healthy! So anyway, I just wanted to let everyone who has eye problems... if you're diagnosed w/ something & aren't sure of the diagnosis... GET A 2ND OPINION! Don't worry over it like I did. I am very thankful that my eyes are ok currently, and am thankful for all of the support of the doctors & people on this forum. : )

[LPNGirl07]

Thank you very much doctor... I appreciate your time!

LPNGirl08

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

After the first visit, I usually see the patient one more time about 2 weeks later and again in 6 months.  If you PVD was 9 months ago you should be fine as long as the retinal exam was normal on each visit.  It's time to move on.  Again, if retinal exam looks normal then that's all you can ask for.  If you were going to get a retinal tear, you probably would have gotten it by now.  The floaters will last for many months  or years, so it's ok if you still experiece them.  I don't think the PVD issue has anything to do with the migraine type  symptoms.  I'm not sure this is the time to be seeing a retinal specialist but rather your regular ophthalmologist then a neurologist possibly.

Michael Kutryb, MD

[LPNGirl07]

Hi doctor, thank you for your reply. I will try to make an appointment w/ a neuro-opth.

I scheduled another appointment w/ my regular opthamologist today to see if he would refer me to a retinal specialist for a 2nd opinion, as I have read sometimes this can be a symptom of retinal tear. I had a partial PVD in my right eye (my good eye, left has poor vision) about 9 months ago. At my last opthamologist visit, my doctor said it was still partially detached. Am I still at risk for a retinal detachment w/ this thing since it's only partially detached still? I have a large cobweb floater in the effected eye from it. How long should I be followed by a doctor w/ a partial detachment? Thank you!

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Please so some research on classic migraines and visual migraines.  Your symptoms are very suggestive of a migraine.  I don't know your whole medical history and your specific findings so you should see a neuro-ophthalmologist for a complete evaluation.  There are, of course, other possible causes (some of which are serious) that should be looked into.

Michael Kutryb, MD