For those with the bright spot when blinking symptom

[Astroturf]

There are several of us on here who have a similar eye complaint: seeing a bright flash, like the afterimage of a flash bulb, when we blink, and sometimes, on upgaze. This is  transient symptom for most of us, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. When the "spot" in our visual field passes over a dark background, the spot appears light. When the spot passes over a light background, it appears dark.

So far, the doctors haven't been able to diagnose us, and perhaps that means it is simply some idiopathic phenomenon. But, in any case, I'm wondering what other similarities we might all have that could bring us closer to a an explanation.

For instance, other factors about me which might be clues are:

I take 100 mg of Zoloft a day
I would describe myself as high-anxiety and stress
I clench my teeth, usually on the same side as the effected eye
I have alot of sinus problems around my eyes
I have double vision due to a weak muscle in one eye
I have many floaters and one very prominent one in the eye without the bright spot

How about you?

[doobie07]

I should also add, I got a new spot yesterday afternoon. Now I have two "active" annyoing spots in my right eye at once, which has never happened before. While most of my spots are pemanent, after a few weeks they "fade" to small scotomas and I don't really notice them all the time (like I do with the new ones"). The old ones are visible mainly under the circumstances I mentioned above, unless I got looking for them.

[Laurieinwa]

Ok I am curious about all of this.

I have just been diagnosed with AZOOR/AIBSE it is characterized by a blind spot, and flashing lights within that blind spot. It is a retinal disease and affects the rods and cones. They don't know much about it, there is no treatment, it is rare (but perhaps many people aren't being diagnosed right), lots of floaters in the affected eye are common. I actually have it in both eyes but didn't notice the blind spot in my left eye, but it is active in my right.

Have any of you ever had a mfERG this would diagnose if this is actually a retina or optic nerve problem?   Ask your opthalmologist about it.

I was misdiagnosed with optic neuritis for 9 months. I don't notice my flashing lights all the time, different light levels either show it as light like a moving fan or black like writhing snakes.

[doobie07]

That's interesting. On my last opthalmologist visit I actually asked about MEWDS, AZOOR, enlarged blind spot syndrome etc and all were ruled out. I had no clinical signs. I did have an ERG when all this started and it was negative.
Tell me, do the flashing lights "flash" independent of eye movement or blinking? Mine don't.

[Astroturf]

New development in my case:

Last week, the Amsler Grid had a "hole" in the upper temporal region due to my "bright spot."

This week, now that the bright spot is diminishing somewhat, the "hole" on the Amsler Grid appears more blurred.....and it seemed to MOVE, drifting downwards.

All of which makes me wonder if this is some kind of giant floater?

Or maybe something fluid related?

[Gotte]

I may or may not have similar condition. I have  central serous retinopathy in one eye, but a series of smaller "spots" with same pathology - they appear when I blink fast, or look at computer screen then look away. Been to eye hospital and told nothing wrong after slit exam (though no flourscene scan).
It's difficult to tell, but I reckon I have 8 to 10 of these small light sensetive areas. I wouldn;t know I had them if I wasn't continually checking my vision to see the progress of my CSR. They might, of course, be a number of things, my number one suspicion  being they are small detatchments of a layer of the retina.
Of course, my retinologist would disagree, which leaves me wondering whether they are what you describe.
I am what you'd call a type 1 personality, and had quite a stressful run up to Christmas with child in hospital, general SAD, and, after the CSR showed up, the fear I was going blind.
The condition, whatever it is, has been stable for a couple of months now, and maybe even on the decline. I'm not on any medication other than lanzoprazil for acid reflux and st. John's Wort.
I have trouble sleeping and sometimes take temazapam, grind my teeth, and have ongoing sinus problems, for which I was using nasal decongestants, until I read that they often have cortisol in them, which can cause CSR, and possibly the other problem.
I've also heard coffee and chocolate can affect CSR.
The reason I mention all this is that the pathology of what you suffer from seems similar to CSR, and as such, the things mentioned may affect it.

Hope that's of help.

[doobie07]

Gotte
That's very interesting. The symptoms you describe fit mine.

From what I understand, CSR is diagnosable on a dilated exam, of which I've had many.

my symptoms have also occurred over a 9-year period, so if it's some chronic recurring form of CSR, you'd think I'd have a diagnosis by now.

I haven't been able to isolate any "triggers" for my spots, which is why my doctors are now suggesting some form of migraine variant.

Do you have migraines with aura?