Strange Eye Problems

[beckys654]

In Jan 08, I noticed in bed that if startled by a noise, I saw an electrical impluse (like lightning) in my right eye. Sometime during Jan, I recall I was hit in the right eye near my nose by a tossed object that hit the table and then bounced up and hit my eye. On Jan 30, early in the morning as I headed down an unlit hall toward a lighted kitchen, I experienced a bright orange flash in my right eye.  In mid-to-late Jan 08, I also had begun to notice a light that appeared to roll across in the right corner of my right eye periodically.  I also had fluttery vision in my right eye (example, while looking at a lit lamp, the light appeared to be flickering.)  I called the Cincinnati Eye Institute on Feb 1 to move up my Feb 27 follow-up appointment to Feb 4 because I thought I had another retinal tear or detachment (I've had three in the past in my right eye). I was surprised when he found no tear or RD.  A test of the blood flow in the back of my eye indicated bleeding under the retina.  I received an Avistan shot.  Two more shots are scheduled in March and April.  He also believes that I have Angoid Streaks.  During that week, I turned the corner too quickly as I came out of my bathroom and hit the bone at my right corner of my right eye and pushed my glasses lens up against my eye's right corner.  At bedtime on Feb 8, I now saw a light roll around near the corner of my right eye as I layed on my right side.  Also, a flashing light show began and lasted for a short period (maybe 15 minutes) then subsided.  I tossed and turned throughout the night and awoke on my left side on Feb 9 to my right eye in some kind of spasm.  I saw twirling in my right eye and even saw a propeller!  After about 2 hours, my eye settled down.  On Feb 11, I awoke with my right eye fluttering.   I called my family doctor for an appointment.  My right eye calmed down about 2:00 PM.  When I saw my doctor at 3:45 PM, if he touched my right eyelid, my eye flashed.  I asked him if he thought my eye problems were due to a brain problem.  He did not think so and diagnosed opthalmic migraine.  He also said that my eye may be overly sensitive due to frayed nerve endings as the result of five previous eye surgeries on my right eye. (My latest eye surgery was Sep 4--laser peel of scar tissue, vitrectomy, and the addition of Kenalog.)  In the afternoon of Feb 14, I closed my right eye to check the vision in my left; as I opened my right eye, I saw three thin black wavy lines move up and away near the top of my eye as though my eyeball was springing back!  I closed my eye once again and then opened it and had the same response.  After this, my right eye went into another spasm, I saw twirling in my right eye and saw a propeller twirling in my eye and a shadow of a propeller on the hall wall!  I spoke with my family doctor by phone at 5:45 PM and again asked for an MRI to rule out at brain problem.  He asked me to call my eye doctor.  I called the Cincinnati Eye Institute and spoke to the doctor who was on call at 9:15 PM.  The doctor said he strongly suspected opthalmic migraine.  He recommended I be checked by a member of their Urgent Care Team which I did at 9:15 AM on Feb 15.  The opthalmologist found no tears, RDs, or infection. I asked him about an MRI.  He said he found nothing medically to justify an MRI.  The nurse gave me handouts on vitreous gel detachments and  floaters/flashes.  (However, I have had three vitrectomies in my right eye and don't believe that I still have vitreous gel remaining that could cause flashing or the rolling light.  I have no floaters in my right eye--only in my left eye.)  I still have a light that rolls periodically around in the right corner of my right eye.  I see it when I'm in bed laying on either side or flat on my back and also during the day. I had periodic flashing in my right eye in bed last night.  Today, Feb 17, when I awoke at 7:15 AM and walked down the hall, I briefly saw the twirling propeller for about a second.  It's now 10:35 AM, and my right eye is still experiencing some fluttering.  I am not convinced that my right eye problem is an opthalmic migraine.  I have no previous history of migraine headaches.  I have no headache pain.  I have no bright zig-zag lines appearing.  Other than seeing a reflection in my right eye as I turn out a bright light, I am not experiencing a sensitivity to light.    Yesterday, I walked for about 50 minutes outside in sunshine while wearing sunglasses and had no problems.  I have normal blood pressure and normal eye pressure.  I have been told in the past that I have thin sclera.  I take .15 mg of Synthroid plus vitamins daily.  I do have stress dealing with an 18-year-old son who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and possible Asperger's Syndrom.  Why would I suddenly develop opthalmic migraines now?  If it is an opthamic migraine, why are they recurring?  Should I ask my family doctor for a referral to a neurologist for an MRI?        













  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[AnnaE]

How is your vision in the eye that has had 5 surgeries? I have also had 5 surgeries in one eye.

I wish you good luck in finding an answer about your symptoms soon.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The Cincinnat Eye Clinic is well thought of and many of their Eye MDs have national reputations. I would suggest you see a neuro-ophthalmologist before you jump into a $1400 MRI.

Ask the CEC Eye MDs for a referral to a neuro-ophthalmologist.

JCH III MD