Flashing Lights in Eyes

[JenBainbridge]

I am a 23 year old female.

I have high myopia (-8.75 in both eyes) and until recently I didn't know what this meant. I have never had any problems with my vision whilst wearing contacts or glasses. I have had floaters for as long as I can remember but they have never bothered me.

A week a go when I woke up whenever I looked left or right I would get a flash in my eye. This is happening in both eyes and it only happens in the dark when I look really far left or really far right. I went straight to my doctors .

Within the space of a few hours my doctor had my in the hospital to have a full retinal exam. The ophthalmologist put the pupil dilating drops in my eyes and thoroughly checked my eyes - seriously she was looking at them for about 30 minutes and said my eyes were perfectly healthy.

I asked what the reason for the flashes was and she said that it was because the jelly in the back of my eye is more fluid than someone with perfect vision and it's quite common in highly myopic people for this to happen but she said my retina was fine. She didn't say I have posterior vitreous detatchment and she discharged me and said she is happy with my eyes and doesn't need to see me again unless I get any vision changes or a huge increase in floaters. She was definitely not worried in the slightest.

Initially I felt extremely relieved but since reflecting I'm quite anxious and confused. Does this mean I'm having a posterior vitreous detchament? I treble checked with my boyfriend who came to the appointment with me and he said she definitely didn't say I was. And if I was shouldn't see want to keep an eye on me to make sure I don't get a retinal tear with me being so short sighted?

I guess my question is that is it normal for the jelly in your eye to pull a little without detaching in highly myopic people? Any help would be greatly appreciated because since this appointment I have had a feeling of dread and I'm quite worried about losing my sight.

Thanks

Jenny

[Kris107k]

A related discussion, Any Cause For Concern With Myopia and Flashes? was started.

[JenBainbridge]

Thanks!

After I receivedthe above doctors information I made an appointment with my optician to get some advice. They did the exact same tests and said yet again that my eyes were fine, there was no PVD and definitely no retinal detatchment. She said my retina was in perfect condition and looks a lot better than they would expect someone with my eye sights too look. No thinning at all and no marks on it.

They said exactly what you're saying that it's just the curse of having bad eye sight. And aslong as it only happens when I force it to happen, i.e. by looking far left or far right then it's not really a problem, it's just the same as when someone pushes on their eye they'll get a flash.

They told me to go back straight away if I got them when just looking forward or any dark curtains appear or I get a sudden increase in floaters or one massive floater.

She also assured me that although people with high myopia are more likely to have problems with their eyes, they are also more likely to not have any problems than they are to have problems, so I'm feeling much better about the whole thing now and just trying to ignore it! Hope it all works out for you!

[Shenson1336]

I am having the same exact symptoms that you are. I am a 25 year old female and started having bright flashing lights in my prarifial vision; I also see a lot of floaters. My vision is horrible and I let it go on for a month before I went to the doctors and she performed the same tests ( dialating my eyes and examining them for what felt like forever) she also told me my eyes were perfectly healthy and to only come back if there is a drastic change in my vision. I kinda panicked like you are doing now but the chances of your retina actually detaching is so low that I just brushed the whole situation off. I wouldn't worry about it , I still see the flashing lights and it's now started in my other eye but I fell its just a curse that goes with having such bad eye sight. I hope this made you feel better. You are not the only one dealing with this. Also if it makes you feel even more better, this whole situation just happened yesterday. :) So its still new to me too.

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

You should get a retinal exam by a retina specialist every 2-4 weeks for as long as the flashes keep happening.  You are correct to be a bit concerned.  For most people, a PVD (what you likely are going through) happens without a retinal tear.  Given the potential consequences though of a retinal detachment, you are better off safe than sorry and get a repeat exam every few weeks until the symptoms stop fully.

HV

[JenBainbridge]

I should also add that I have had a sinus infection since before this was happening which Ive still got and have had a headache for the best part of two weeks. Could this have something to do with the flashing lights?

From what I've read on the internet it would be hightly unlikely that a posterior vitreous detachment or retinal detachment would happen in both eyes at the same time.

Thanks