flickering vision

[mikey69]

Hi,

I posted a little while ago about having eye problems and asked if they could be related to sinusitus. My symptoms have changed slightly, and im now getting the sensation of flickering lights (from light to dark) like strip lighting when its broken and it flickers. At night, when i open my eyes sometimes i see flickering on a much larger scale, (i.e. 30% of my vision is effeted) and is alot more noticable. I have a hhair-like floater in my eye (that has been there for about 3 days) and a number of smaller dot like floaters. When i do exercise sometimes my vision seems to get displaced - i'm not sure how to explain this but its almost like i have a pulse in my eye! My left eye seems to be the most effected though the flickering at night does occur in my right eye but to a lesser degree. Maybe connected but not- I have pale coloured fingernails (not cyanosis) though not the 'typical colour' of a fingernail!

Can you help with a diagnosis? Is this serious?

Thanks

Mikey69

[aimee37]

Hi-
I have the flickering light sensation as well. It gets very bad when I close my eyes at night and then open them in a dark room similar to the other people on this discussion post. I had flashes of light which I was told were occular migranes by an opthomologist a couple years prior to this but I saw them everyday and they developed around the same time I developed floaters. However, on top of the flickering I also have visual snow, I see afterimages and I see halos around bright objects and around lights at night and see several other light distortions. I was wondering if anyone else had these symptoms? Ive had multiple eye exams by multiple eye doctors, saw two retinal specialists, had a visual field, an ERG and an MRI when flickering symptoms first began. All have come back normal and I wasn't even told I had any fold in the vitreous or anything like that. My last eye exam about 2 months ago was normal again and I saw a nuerologist two weeks ago who said another MRI wasnt necessary but I am very concerned that the eye docs are missing something or that something has grown in my brain( i did not have halos and light distortions prior to last MRI.)I am very worried this is eye cancer, brain cancer, an anuerysm or something serious as it keeps progressing and I know something is wrong yet the doctors say it is nothing. To the person who finally got diagnosed with eye cancer- did you have any other symptoms similar to what I have? and how did you ultimately find someone to diagnose you when all he docs told u were fine. I think the worse part of these is simply not knowing what is going on. I wish you a speedy recovery.

[aimee37]

Hi, I was wondering if you still have this flickering sensation. I have the same for 10 months now...

[okieb]

I experienced those flashing lights several months ago and passed them off as stess, alergies, etc.  I later found that I had a condition called Choroidal Melanoma, which can be deadly as it is cancer.  I was sent to Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia which is world renoun for treating this type condition.  Many of the people I met there were initially treated for different things such as Freckles, folds, etc,- some for many months, that ended up actually being this Ocular Melanoma condition.  It's rare enough (about 6 in a million) that some Optometrists never see it, and sometimes if they do, they think it's something different.  
I don't intend to frighten anyone, but speaking from experience, my recommendation is to be agressive and persistent and double check this condition!!  Do not pause, do not hesitate.  Get a second opinion.  If it is nothing, all you've done is bought some peace of mind that it is not a deadly life and vision threatening illness.  
So far, I am progressing, and have managed to retain my eye, most of my sight, and because they caught it early, my chances of survival are greatly increased.  
For additional information-  google-  ocular melanoma, chroidal melanoma..  Also "Collaberative Ocular Melanoma Study" (COMS) has a great deal of reliable information.  
Again, I stress-- don't hesitate in getting another opinion from from a retinal specialist.

Good Luck!

[maximum01]

how long sighted are you?

i get allot of visual disturbances at night....lights, flickering, visual snow or static....that fades after a few mins when i wake up.

i also see this pulsing field with every heart beat when i excercise.  and lost of fixed (static) floaters when looking at a bright sky....circles and cyrved lines.

i had my eyes checked a few months agon and was diagnosed with "choroidal folds"....not sure if this is similar to your vitrious fold.

anyway, opthamologist said these folds are a benign condition related to hyperopia (long sight).  she said not to worry about it.

my own theory is these folds are causing minor blockage to the blood flow of my retinas which make these symtoms more apparent.  moreso at night when blood pressure drops during sleep.

[Ag-i-doc]

yes, its possible from a "fold".  i personally think age is for the most part unrelated,  but you're right, farsighted people are less likely to have retinal problems.

dont know.  sorry.

[mikey69]

I've had an eye examination about a month ago and he said that the eye was fine - except for a fold of material in the vitreous humor. he said it was not likly for me to have a retinal detachment cos of my age (22) and the fact that im long sighted. Is it possible that the things that im seeing are due to the fold of material in the vitreous humor? would you recomend that i go back to have another eye exam?

Thanks

[Forum-OD-MP]

dont know.  could be retinal traction/detachment...which would be a very big deal.  or could also be pressure phosphene or entoptic phenomena...that would be totally benign.  i think you probably need an eye exam, especially since you're complaining of both flashes AND new floaters...it is certainly possible that you are having a retinal hole/tear/detachment