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Seeing beams of light stretching from car head light and street light.

Have this problem for around 2 weeks, now. Every time I look at street light or car light there is few long beams of light stretching down.  And in the dark when I look at the monitor there is like a reflection or shadow below it. Once I open my eyes more, the beam and the shadow is almost completely gone. Is this serious?? Went to the optometrist she say I'm nearsighted but and getting glasses next week. Could this be a prescription problem. Thanks
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Avatar universal
I have the exact same problem but it doesn't go away with blinking. It goes away when I open my eyes wide, which I made me think it's my eyelashes. But I have had the same amount of eyelashes and I didn't have these problems before
Helpful - 1
2 Comments
I didn't have this problem til my doc took out my cataracts
If you had this problem after cataract surgery and your surgeon can't 'fix it' then you need to get a second opinion from a different eye surgeon. Causes are many:  needing glasses, improper glasses prescription or poorly fit frames,  cornea irregular astigmatism, IOL problems like displacement, tilt,  cloudy posterior capsule, and macular/vitreous problems.   Also common with multifocal IOLs or toric IOLs 'off axis'
Avatar universal
Any update on this ? I am too suffering from this light streaks , but once I open my eyes wide they're gone as if they have some sort of relation with eyelashes because I noticed while in front of my Pc , that I can clearly see through them which makes those line of lights coming from the source , but since I open my eyes wide the eyelashes are lifted up and I can see clear with no streaks !! already seen 3 doctors so far and not a single one seems to take me seriously , and I haven't done any surgery in my life .This phenomenon is really mysterious and  I really hope someone can give us a lead to this matter .
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
177275 tn?1511755244
That solution may work for you but it's not a good solution for most people. Pilocarpine, even dilute, increases the risk of retinal detachment and iritis. One reason why it is no longer used for the treatment of glaucoma, its original use. Also with long term pilo use the pupil gets stiff and will often not dilate fully.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Guys, after suffering from this same thing for 5 years I have got my answer and a working solution.

The cause of me seeing this is after lasik surgery, I was left with an extremely heavy glare due to my 7.5 mm pupil. I see glare in almost all condition night and day. From sunlight coming through curtains, office lightbulbs, streetlights everything has halos that spans at least 1/4 of my visual field. (Dr.G that does my scleral lens was taken aback by the amount of glare when he does his measuring.)This causes me to squint ALL THE TIME. And without knowing it myself it has become a habit. Squinting became my eyes normal position which I never realize for years.

That is what causes me to see these light lines. By squinting all the time my tears build up more and my eyes are always watery. The lines is actually seeable by everyone from my friends to family when they slowly squint and try to see it. My opto said it’s just normal light refracting from tear prism. However, when my eyes are watery the streaks are much more intense, and annoying to say the least.

So what help me. I was prescribed with diluted pilocarpine to help with glare issues for a long time ago but I didn’t use it often since it doesn’t help with the streaks. But I tried it again last week. This time what different is I try to catch myself when I squint and consciously try to open my eyes like I used to before the lasik and the glare took place. I do this for several days and now with pilocarpine I rarely squints anymore. My eyes are not watery all the time and I’m seeing the streaks/light beam/ray way less. Seriously it went from one of the most annoying thing in my damn life to virtually non-existence. And to think that for 5 years all I needed to do is to reopen my eyes and get rid of the squinting habit started by lasik glare is still crazy to me. I hope this is helpful to someone out there who shares the same suffering.

PS: I took a lot of eyes examination but none of the doctors mention my eyelids or ptosis which makes sense because during examination I am nervous and I don’t squint. I hardly squint when I am interacting with other people but always when I am alone. I took topography and everything else suggested they all say that my eyes are healthy minus the glare.  I hope you all the best.

Happy new year.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
That solution may work for you but it's not a good solution for most people. Pilocarpine, even dilute, increases the risk of retinal detachment and iritis. One reason why it is no longer used for the treatment of glaucoma, its original use. Also with long term pilo use the pupil gets stiff and will often not dilate fully.  
Avatar universal
I have the same issue. Could it be due to the light refraction off of tear prism? I had it immediately after femtolasik.

Both eyes, same ray, same intensity, Could it be that the flatter cornea has something to do with this. IE. changing the refracted angle
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
No the tear prism is not a factor. that only comes into play with laser peripheral iridectomy done at 12 o'clock position.
Avatar universal
Anybody out there? Pls help.
Helpful - 0
5 Comments
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I had that issue  and it turned out to be from cataracts
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Thank you so much 131steve. A doctor just told me last week that i had baby cataracts but i am still in denial because I am only 32 so it would be very unlikely. I suffered a minor injury though last year and there was some inflammation for a few days.
This is a 2015 post from early in this discussion:
These are the possibilities:  refractive error such as myopia, astigmatism or farsighted; improper correction of these with glasses or contact; corneal disease especially irregular astigmatism or corneal loss of clarity; cataract formation, macular disease.
Avatar universal
Dr John Hagan. Already did topography, fluorescein angiography, the one you said years ago regarding vitreo macular traction makes sense. i am seeing light streaks/beams from light sources in front of me that is shining towards me. any other person here found a solution?
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Avatar universal
Dr John Hagan. Already did topography, fluorescein angiography, the one you said years ago regarding vitreo macular traction makes sense. i am seeing light streaks/beams from light sources in front of me that is shining towards me. any other person here found a solution?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Any update on this? I need some help. im 32 years old. im experiencing the exact same thing. tried dry eye treatment, rgp contact lens, pinhole contact lens, pilocarpine drops. The long streaks are still there. I am currently having a posterior vitreous detachment. Please message me anyone. Thank you so much
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
You should see an Eye MD that specializes in external disease, cornea and refractive surgery. You need a cornea topography.
Avatar universal
So many people are having this problem.....For everyone doctors are saying everything is fine,,,but there is no real progress in it...one person on this platform said he is suffering from these symptoms for 7years and  no recovery.....I had also seen nearly seven doctors done dilated examinations but found normal.....in my case there vitreous liquidation that's it........I request all who having these sympy to share their experiences it might find some route
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1 Comments
Avatar universal
I had IntraLasik eye surgery 1 month ago and after 2-3 weeks I started to see very annoying light streaks from light sources when blinking. It is especially terrible when driving at night, but I also can see them for exaple from TV. The streaks disappear when I open my eyes, but every blink is terrible. Anyone found any solution? Do you guys still have this problem?
Helpful - 0
6 Comments
I recognize what you mean, I experience the same (but I am not bothered by it). I had Relex Smile (lasik) in august 2017. Maybe there is a MD that can explain how this works.
This is a common problem and can be due to ocular surface disorder (especially severe drying) or can be due to the shape the cornea has assumed while healing. Discuss with your surgeon.
I will, thank you for your answer! If it is a corneal problem or surface disorder, is there any solution? PTK for example?
That is too far to go in an internet venue and would just be speculation.
almdudler Could you figurate out what is the issue? Any progress and/or updates?
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Avatar universal
Im 17 im just started seeing this at night time i see a light beam from cars and lights and im not crying and it still do it for 3 days straight
Helpful - 0
4 Comments
I would suggest you start out with a comprehensive ophthalmologist.
do u find any result by doctor
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I had IntraLasik eye surgery 1 month ago and after 2-3 weeks I started to see very annoying light streaks from light sources when blinking. It is especially terrible when driving at night, but I also can see them for exaple from TV. The streaks disappear when I open my eyes, but every blink is terrible. Anyone found any solution? Do you guys still have this problem?
Avatar universal
i have also the same problm please suggest me something what to do
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
Short answer is see an Eye MD ophthalmologist for complete exam and perhaps special testing
ok thnku...but i want to ask wether is this case of neuro optics or simply by ophthlmo
I would suggest you start out with a comprehensive ophthalmologist.
Avatar universal
Has anyone found any help with this? I too have streaks of light and glare problems, but docs and corneal specialists can't see anything wrong.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thx for this. Interesting theory about vitreous traction. I will tell about it my next doctor ( i dont have one doctor, becouse i am looking someone who knows something about complications after laser treatments and who will be able to help me, maybe one day i will find ;]). One Doctor mentioned something about eyelid position. She suggested me to try botox first, becouse botox can raise my eyelids and change something with eyelids muscle. Then if this will work, suggested operation on eyelids. I need to say, after that laser treatment on my holes my eyelids are... heavy ?? I dont know how to explain excatly this feeling. I got one more question. Other Doctor mentioned, that laser could damaged my lens, collagen fibers excatly and this damage will be not able to see, even in microscope. Is it possible, that is something wrong with my lenses ??? Maybe that is some bad interraction between lens and ciliary muscles? I am thinking about replace my natural lens. I have high myopia, but i am worry about future problems with accomodation, not sure about this surgery.
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177275 tn?1511755244
Look over the postings for the last week or so. There is one discussion thread that is almost a 1000 postings and it has to do with people that have hard retina surgery that see lights, rays, streaks, etc. So it is common. When you pull your eyelid away from the eye and its better or goes away there are two explanations. It is a cornea problem and that lifting the lid reduces corneal astigmatism (regular like glasses correct or irregular due to corneal disease) or that the problem is related to vitreous traction on the retina and once again lifting the eyelid relieves some stress on the retina-vitreous traction and causes the symptoms to go away.  If glasses and contact lens did not help don't know how you can be treated. If its the retina again nothing can be done.  If you had "ptosis" where that eyelid was hanging too low and it was across the pupil than doing ptosis surgery to elevate the lid might help but you and the eye MDs that hard examined you should easily be able to see a drooping upper lid.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Cant give e-mail, just leave private message if you want talk about this
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
I wrote a private message for you, please get in touch with me.
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I also wrote message for you
Avatar universal
Hello, I am back and still dont have solution for this problem. Seems, contact lenses dont want help ;/. Feeling terrible with this issue. I forgot to tell, that all this vision problems started 2,3 months after laser treatment on my retina ( i had holes). I am searching for people with this problem in internet and mostly, they get this after Lasik or other laser treatment, but some people " just" get it. I noticed strange thing... i can see reflected light on my internal part of eyelid, when i am pulling away eyelid from cornea. This reflected light on my eyelid looks like streak, light curtain ( depends on what light i am looking) and it's moving when i move my eyelid. And when my eyelid touches cornea i see streaks, beams in down part of light source. Is it possible, that this relfected light on eyelids do this strange vision problems ??? Here is my email if someone have this too and want talk about this: ***@****
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
am having the same problem, have you found a solution?
Kennethk  this discussion is too long, too old and too unwieldy to use. If you have a problem like this start a new post.  JHaganMD
177275 tn?1511755244
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Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the exact same problem but it doesn't go away with blinking. It goes away when I open my eyes wide, which I made me think it's my eyelashes. But I have had the same amount of eyelashes and I didn't have these problems before
Helpful - 0
177275 tn?1511755244
Happy to help. Happy Thanksgiving. JCH MD
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Avatar universal
I have been wondering why this happens to me for over a year now! Thank you, thank you for answering this question; I totally understand. You rock!
Helpful - 0
177275 tn?1511755244
streaking like you draw is typical of cataract however it would not go away with blinking. Vitreous and macula would not go away with blinking. The two things that blinking does  1. wet the cornea  so moderate or severe dry eyes might cause this but instilling artifical tears at night should elminiate.  2. blinking changes the shape of the cornea somewhat especially a forced blink. If you see it with your new best glasses on then the most likely cause would be some residual astigmatism or a small amount of irregular astigmatism. At night their is a myopic shift so that the glasses RX is somewhat different at night than during the day. Some of this is due to pupil size. If it is terribly disconcerting you might see if wearing contact lens eliminates it.  It's not likely a serious problem given the work up you've had.  JCH MD
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Avatar universal
i had topography. All was ok. I was examined by Pentacam machine.
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