Strange eyesights

[Lowret]

This week I had a strange experience with my only eye, that scared me. Suddeny, while working in the garden, I lost my clear view. The view was disturbed like I was seeing an lot of jets rain/water run over the window. The symptoms disappeared after about 10-15minutes.The day after I had a very mild headache. Last year I got a similar perception. Then I saw continiously passing zigzag lines with little stars. This spectacle lasted 15-20 minutes. Is there an explanation about what is going on? Must I fear for my eyesight or brains?

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

These symptoms require you take medical action.  1. You need to see an Eye MD ophthalmologist and tell her/him about these two episodes to be sure there is nothing in the eye that is causing this.  2. Hopefully you have a personal physician. You need to go in for a complete medical evaluation, again tell the doctor about these two episodes, especial care needs to be taken to examine the cardio-vascular system and neurological symptoms.  In heathy young people younger than 40 the most common cause is a migraine variant but other things can mimic migraine and need to be excluded. After 40 diseases of the heart and blood vessels and brain must be excluded.  If the Ophthalmologist and your family doctor don't turn up anything you may need to see a neurologist and have a MRI/MRA of the head,  you also should ask your family doctor for a carotid doppler test which checks for carotid problems and is easy and inexpensive. Do take action, it could be a sign of something serious.  Migraine can only be diagnosed after other more serious diseases are excluded.