Aa
Collapsed retinal blood vessel?
I have high myopia at -9.75 and -10.25. Approximately 6 months ago while I was driving at night I suddenly saw a blue flash near the center of my vision. I thought my retina had torn so I saw an ophthalmologist that night and they told me it was probably a retinal migraine. The next morning the blue flash was still there so I went to a retinal surgeon and had a florescene angiogram done and all the surgeon could find is that I had a small blood vessel collapse. It's been about 6 months so far but I haven't seen any improvement, when I look at a white wall I see a gray, opaque blotch but I cannot see through it.
Has anyone heard of this or knows what it is? I don't smoke or drink alcohol hardly at all. I'm trying to figure out what could have caused this so I know if I need to make a lifestyle change or if this will ever heal.
Has anyone heard of this or knows what it is? I don't smoke or drink alcohol hardly at all. I'm trying to figure out what could have caused this so I know if I need to make a lifestyle change or if this will ever heal.
Hi Corinne,
1) Hmm.. I can't really tell if it's thinning out per-say. I'd definitely say it seems less noticeable than the first week when it occurred, it's not as bright. One thing I may point out, it's only noticeable to me when I blink, if I stare at something I can't find it in my eye. It's mostly noticeable when I look at a white computer screen, white wall, or the sky. If I wear sunglasses or it's nighttime it's almost impossible to see. Some parts of the gray area look whiter, and the tip at the top looks blueish for me.
2) I have not had a retinal detachment, this gray area literally came out of the blue... which is why I am worried. I was checked thoroughly for a retinal detachment and the specialist didn't find anything. My retina is perfectly healthy with the exception of being very myopic.
3) From the FA pictures, I had a very small capillary (not a vein) that looked swiggly and collapsed. It was very tiny compared to the other veins leading to my macula. The specialist suggested that's where my gray area is, which I agree with.
4) No I haven't done an Amsler Grid test, but if I'm looking out a window screen (I guess it's somewhat like an Amsler Grid, lol) a couple of the tiny screen squares are missing, so I'm sure some of the lines would covered up if I did the Grid test.
5) No problems reading.
6) Does that kind of specialist deal with how the retina perceives images and translates to the brain? I'm going to go to another macula specialist first before I would consider something like that.
7) Yes, my doctor told me to wait about a year... and I've had mine for 5 months so far and I don't notice much improvement. However, I actually just got another one of these gray areas on the lower part of my macula so I'm a bit frazzled. This one is not as central in my visual field so it's hard to notiece unless I look up and to the right and blink. It's hard to tell if this new one is gray cause I can't really see it well, it just looks like a pale blue. But in bright light it sparkles a bit, but it's stationery, so I'm sure it's not a floater.
8) I don't have double vision, my prescription has been stable for 3 years.
I have some questions for you if you don't mind:
1) Your gray area occurred after your detachment surgery? Mine occurred randomly while I was driving at night. I've been trying to research possible causes of this, I really can't find any correlation. I'm very healthy with no other disorders, I don't have diabetes or smoke. This is the closet I found to what it could be, but again, I don't have diabetes so I'm puzzled.
http://www.avclinic.com/Retinal_signs.htm
See microaneursyms and hemorrhaging.
2) Do you see blood or brown matter in your retina?
3) Do you have any floaters? I'm wondering if floaters in my eye are bumping into my macula and damaging vessels. It sounds crazy, but no specialist knows what this is either.
4) What does your lifestyle and diet consist of? Do you have a high sugar, high sodium, or high cholesterol diet? Do you smoke, consume alcohol often or drink coffe or tea often?
5) How is your stress level? I'm wondering if stress is contributing to vessels breaking down from high blood pressure.
6) Did you have a migraine headache before your gray area appeared? I had a migraine headache the night before this happened, so that probably doesn't mean much.
My name is Shawn by the way, please let me know whenever you get some free time. We'll figure this out!
1) Hmm.. I can't really tell if it's thinning out per-say. I'd definitely say it seems less noticeable than the first week when it occurred, it's not as bright. One thing I may point out, it's only noticeable to me when I blink, if I stare at something I can't find it in my eye. It's mostly noticeable when I look at a white computer screen, white wall, or the sky. If I wear sunglasses or it's nighttime it's almost impossible to see. Some parts of the gray area look whiter, and the tip at the top looks blueish for me.
2) I have not had a retinal detachment, this gray area literally came out of the blue... which is why I am worried. I was checked thoroughly for a retinal detachment and the specialist didn't find anything. My retina is perfectly healthy with the exception of being very myopic.
3) From the FA pictures, I had a very small capillary (not a vein) that looked swiggly and collapsed. It was very tiny compared to the other veins leading to my macula. The specialist suggested that's where my gray area is, which I agree with.
4) No I haven't done an Amsler Grid test, but if I'm looking out a window screen (I guess it's somewhat like an Amsler Grid, lol) a couple of the tiny screen squares are missing, so I'm sure some of the lines would covered up if I did the Grid test.
5) No problems reading.
6) Does that kind of specialist deal with how the retina perceives images and translates to the brain? I'm going to go to another macula specialist first before I would consider something like that.
7) Yes, my doctor told me to wait about a year... and I've had mine for 5 months so far and I don't notice much improvement. However, I actually just got another one of these gray areas on the lower part of my macula so I'm a bit frazzled. This one is not as central in my visual field so it's hard to notiece unless I look up and to the right and blink. It's hard to tell if this new one is gray cause I can't really see it well, it just looks like a pale blue. But in bright light it sparkles a bit, but it's stationery, so I'm sure it's not a floater.
8) I don't have double vision, my prescription has been stable for 3 years.
I have some questions for you if you don't mind:
1) Your gray area occurred after your detachment surgery? Mine occurred randomly while I was driving at night. I've been trying to research possible causes of this, I really can't find any correlation. I'm very healthy with no other disorders, I don't have diabetes or smoke. This is the closet I found to what it could be, but again, I don't have diabetes so I'm puzzled.
http://www.avclinic.com/Retinal_signs.htm
See microaneursyms and hemorrhaging.
2) Do you see blood or brown matter in your retina?
3) Do you have any floaters? I'm wondering if floaters in my eye are bumping into my macula and damaging vessels. It sounds crazy, but no specialist knows what this is either.
4) What does your lifestyle and diet consist of? Do you have a high sugar, high sodium, or high cholesterol diet? Do you smoke, consume alcohol often or drink coffe or tea often?
5) How is your stress level? I'm wondering if stress is contributing to vessels breaking down from high blood pressure.
6) Did you have a migraine headache before your gray area appeared? I had a migraine headache the night before this happened, so that probably doesn't mean much.
My name is Shawn by the way, please let me know whenever you get some free time. We'll figure this out!
Hi shawn900.
To answer your questions first:
-Yes. Ive had a flourescine angiogram done. Specialist #3 pointed to where the light gray area might be. It looked like a weird vein coming off a main vein. But she didnt elaborate. She just told me to give it some time and that 3.5 months after PPV and gas bubble is too soon and needs more healing time...like a year at least! (a year is too long!)
-Yes. I did an Amlser Grid. When I look at the dot, I cant see a portion of the bottom part of the dot the size of a droppong baseball. The farther i look out to a street for example, the gray area seems bigger and the closer I look (or focus), the gray area is smaller. Specialist # 3 said that it is usu the other way around and didnt know the answer to this. I almost wish I didnt tell her about what my original specialist said because I felt that she just went by what the original specialist said instead of giving me her own opinion.
Got questions for you as well pls:
1) What i meant by thinning is your gray area. I wasnt referring to your retina. Is your gray area thinning on the sides? meaning can you see a little from the areas that are thinning out? My light gray area is thinning on the sides...meaning i can see a little on the sides of it because it is thinner on the sides (of my light gray area). Is your gray area thinning on the sides of it or is it simply a block of gray area? I cannot see in the middle of my gray area though.
2) Did you have a retinal detachment as well or did this gray area of yours just came out all of a sudden?
3) did you have a vein that looked weird as well (from the FA pics) which could be the spot of your gray area?
4) did you do an amsler grid as well and a flourescine angiogram? Are you missing a portion of your amsler gird as well when you look at it? What are the results of your angiogram?
5) are you having a hard time reading as well?
6) do you think we need to see a neuro-optalmologist? I read some of the threads here and read some that suggestes seeing one.
7) did your doc tell you to wait and give it time as well which is why you waited 6 months?
8) are you having double vision, feeling like you have an eye and a half functioning because of this gray area inj your vision?
I am worried about this light gray area daily. Our situation are not quite the same, but we but we do have the gray area in common because we have high myopia as well.
Hope to hear from you soon. I will be doing some research on this condition as well as some other doctors and most likely amke an appointment in the next month or so.
Please keep in touch. I could use your opinion and I will share mine.
My name is Corinne by the way. Hope all will be well with your Doc's appt and let me know what he thinks.
Thanks Shawn900. Apprecciate your answers.
To answer your questions first:
-Yes. Ive had a flourescine angiogram done. Specialist #3 pointed to where the light gray area might be. It looked like a weird vein coming off a main vein. But she didnt elaborate. She just told me to give it some time and that 3.5 months after PPV and gas bubble is too soon and needs more healing time...like a year at least! (a year is too long!)
-Yes. I did an Amlser Grid. When I look at the dot, I cant see a portion of the bottom part of the dot the size of a droppong baseball. The farther i look out to a street for example, the gray area seems bigger and the closer I look (or focus), the gray area is smaller. Specialist # 3 said that it is usu the other way around and didnt know the answer to this. I almost wish I didnt tell her about what my original specialist said because I felt that she just went by what the original specialist said instead of giving me her own opinion.
Got questions for you as well pls:
1) What i meant by thinning is your gray area. I wasnt referring to your retina. Is your gray area thinning on the sides? meaning can you see a little from the areas that are thinning out? My light gray area is thinning on the sides...meaning i can see a little on the sides of it because it is thinner on the sides (of my light gray area). Is your gray area thinning on the sides of it or is it simply a block of gray area? I cannot see in the middle of my gray area though.
2) Did you have a retinal detachment as well or did this gray area of yours just came out all of a sudden?
3) did you have a vein that looked weird as well (from the FA pics) which could be the spot of your gray area?
4) did you do an amsler grid as well and a flourescine angiogram? Are you missing a portion of your amsler gird as well when you look at it? What are the results of your angiogram?
5) are you having a hard time reading as well?
6) do you think we need to see a neuro-optalmologist? I read some of the threads here and read some that suggestes seeing one.
7) did your doc tell you to wait and give it time as well which is why you waited 6 months?
8) are you having double vision, feeling like you have an eye and a half functioning because of this gray area inj your vision?
I am worried about this light gray area daily. Our situation are not quite the same, but we but we do have the gray area in common because we have high myopia as well.
Hope to hear from you soon. I will be doing some research on this condition as well as some other doctors and most likely amke an appointment in the next month or so.
Please keep in touch. I could use your opinion and I will share mine.
My name is Corinne by the way. Hope all will be well with your Doc's appt and let me know what he thinks.
Thanks Shawn900. Apprecciate your answers.
1) Yes, I already made an appointment with another retinal specialist.
2) Yes, my light gray area is close to my macula, center-right of my vision. I think I just got another one that's lower on my macula towards the bottom but it's not that bothersome because it's out of my central vision.
3) I don't know what you mean by "thinning". From the tests the specialist ran my retina is healthy and not thinning in any areas.
Have you had a florescene angiogram done? When you look at an Amsler grid do you see any gray areas that are blocking the lines?
2) Yes, my light gray area is close to my macula, center-right of my vision. I think I just got another one that's lower on my macula towards the bottom but it's not that bothersome because it's out of my central vision.
3) I don't know what you mean by "thinning". From the tests the specialist ran my retina is healthy and not thinning in any areas.
Have you had a florescene angiogram done? When you look at an Amsler grid do you see any gray areas that are blocking the lines?
HI ,
I had a retinal detachment surgery (pars plana vitrectomy with gas bubble) 3.5 months ago. I thought it was blood still because it was larger before. But then about a month ago, I noticed that this area thinning really slowly and i dont know if it is still thinning our or not anymore.
This light gray area which i started noticing almost 2 months ago did change in shape over the past month and a half. it used to be bigger and I thought it was new blood (as what the doc said) from the small tear in my retina that the doc lfound and lasered a month ago. I just noticed that it is getting smaller very slowly or maybe stopped getting smaller (I hope not!).
1) are you going to a new doc to get a second opinion on what this really is and on how to solve it?
2) is your light gray area close to your macula or is it somewhere in your peripheral vision?
3) is your light gray area thinning on the sides too?
I also had an FA done on my and the doc pointed to this vein in my retina in which she said could be the light gray area. I was curious since yours was from a collapsed blood vessel as well that your sit might be the same as mine. I also couldnt find anyone here with the same sit that could answer my question. I am thinking og going to another retinal surgeon in the next few weeks or wait a month or so. Im debating about giving it a little more time....maybe it will get smaller and smaller. The doctor said to give myself more healing time and that it could take up to a year to get results. I def wont wait a year. I am just worried that it might be something and that if it were caught early, the better it is for me.
What will you do now? What do you think I should do?
Hoping to hear from you soon. Thanks so much
I had a retinal detachment surgery (pars plana vitrectomy with gas bubble) 3.5 months ago. I thought it was blood still because it was larger before. But then about a month ago, I noticed that this area thinning really slowly and i dont know if it is still thinning our or not anymore.
This light gray area which i started noticing almost 2 months ago did change in shape over the past month and a half. it used to be bigger and I thought it was new blood (as what the doc said) from the small tear in my retina that the doc lfound and lasered a month ago. I just noticed that it is getting smaller very slowly or maybe stopped getting smaller (I hope not!).
1) are you going to a new doc to get a second opinion on what this really is and on how to solve it?
2) is your light gray area close to your macula or is it somewhere in your peripheral vision?
3) is your light gray area thinning on the sides too?
I also had an FA done on my and the doc pointed to this vein in my retina in which she said could be the light gray area. I was curious since yours was from a collapsed blood vessel as well that your sit might be the same as mine. I also couldnt find anyone here with the same sit that could answer my question. I am thinking og going to another retinal surgeon in the next few weeks or wait a month or so. Im debating about giving it a little more time....maybe it will get smaller and smaller. The doctor said to give myself more healing time and that it could take up to a year to get results. I def wont wait a year. I am just worried that it might be something and that if it were caught early, the better it is for me.
What will you do now? What do you think I should do?
Hoping to hear from you soon. Thanks so much
Hi,
I was at my retinal surgeon the day after this occurred to me, I haven't scheduled another appointment yet. I usually see my ophthalmologist every year just to make sure my retina looks healthy.
How long ago did you experience that light gray/opaque area near your macula and what were you doing when it occurred? Mine has been there for 6 months so far with no sign of healing.
I was at my retinal surgeon the day after this occurred to me, I haven't scheduled another appointment yet. I usually see my ophthalmologist every year just to make sure my retina looks healthy.
How long ago did you experience that light gray/opaque area near your macula and what were you doing when it occurred? Mine has been there for 6 months so far with no sign of healing.
hi. i have the same light gray/opague area I see close to the center of my vision now. But I just had a retinal detahcment surgery 3.5 months ago. My myopia however is just -500/-6.25
a second opinion today also showed a flourescne angiogram with a weird looking vein that my doctor looked confused about. she pointed to it and said this might be where that light gray area you see is. She looked unsure about it which now worries me. If it is something that could be caught right away and get fixed, I would want them to cure it right away then.
Please keep in touch and let me know about that light gray area you have and ehat the doctor says.
Thanks and talk soon....
a second opinion today also showed a flourescne angiogram with a weird looking vein that my doctor looked confused about. she pointed to it and said this might be where that light gray area you see is. She looked unsure about it which now worries me. If it is something that could be caught right away and get fixed, I would want them to cure it right away then.
Please keep in touch and let me know about that light gray area you have and ehat the doctor says.
Thanks and talk soon....
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I think it is an incidental finding and not related to your symptoms.
Dr. O.
Dr. O.
I'm 25 years old and in good health, I don't have any family history of diabetes, cholesterol, or any other eye disorders except for cataracts. However, my grandparents do have high blood pressure.
This incident occurred after I had a cup of caffeinated tea several hours beforehand. I'm wondering if maybe the caffeine played a role in this. I've swore off caffeine since this incident, haven't had any new occurrences of blue flashes in the center of my vision but I'm curious to see if this is a permanent condition or will heal.
I tried going through search engines to figure out what disorder this could be any the closet thing I can find is CSR. However, from the FA test the surgeon said I had no bleeding or thinning in my retina. I was looking at the retinal pictures of my eye with my surgeon where the blood capillary collapsed but the surgeon honestly didn't have any idea which left me concerned.
This incident occurred after I had a cup of caffeinated tea several hours beforehand. I'm wondering if maybe the caffeine played a role in this. I've swore off caffeine since this incident, haven't had any new occurrences of blue flashes in the center of my vision but I'm curious to see if this is a permanent condition or will heal.
I tried going through search engines to figure out what disorder this could be any the closet thing I can find is CSR. However, from the FA test the surgeon said I had no bleeding or thinning in my retina. I was looking at the retinal pictures of my eye with my surgeon where the blood capillary collapsed but the surgeon honestly didn't have any idea which left me concerned.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You need to ask your retinal surgeon this question. What does it mean that a small blood vessel collapsed? Did it close off? It sound like a small stroke. How is your general health? Blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc.
Dr. O.
Dr. O.
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