bright spot in vision

[tam31]

I woke up with a bright spot in my eye 4 days ago, and a smaller, much dimmer image of it is still present.  When I say bright spot, it's like the after-effect of a camera flash, and then it fades out slowly.  I have had this phenomena before, but it usually fades away anywhere from minutes to a few hours.  I always chalked it up to ocular migraines, as the doctor said my eyes are perfectly healthy.  Well, this spot hasn't gone away and it's making me nervous.  I went to the doctor yesterday, which was two days after it appeared, and again, perfectly healthy eyes was my diagnosis.  He said that it was probably an ocular migraine and should fade within a day or two.  But, it hasn't and now it seems to be permanently there, in the left corner of my vision of my left eye.  It's almost like it "burned" itself there and it is now a sivler spot when I blink, or when I go from a dark to light room, or look at the sky/bright walls/computer screen.  It can also change color depending on what I look at-anywhere from green to pinkish/purple to blue.  It stays in the same place and doesn't bounce/move like my other floaters.  I thought it might be related to my sinus/ear infection (pressure), but I've been on antibiotics for 6 days now and I'm not sure if there's still pressure.  I can't stop thinking about it, and as soon as I think it's gone, it's there again, like hide-and-go-seek, except I don't want to play anymore.  I will continue to pray for healing, but does anyone have a suggestion as to what it could be?  Thanks

[JeninND]

We should start a group about this, shouldn't we?

I'm new to this board, but I've had my original blind spot for 2 years, a new one cropped up a week ago, and I think another new one is starting as of an hour ago.  All three are in my right eye.

I've had the visual field and OCT tests numerous times, my eyes are healthy, the ophthamologist can find nothing wrong.  They started out as a "camera flash" or as though I looked at a sun glare, and then faded away to a blind spot.  They're highly noticeable on an Amsler grid, or against the sky, computer screen, lampshade, etc.

I decided to take it to my family doctor and see if she can recommend other tests (maybe an MRI or CT scan?) to figure out what this is.  I see her this coming Tuesday, and I will post here when and if we figure this out.

By the way, I'm female and 33 years old.  No other health problems except for seasonal allergies.  I am tired of paying my opthamologist for the same expensive tests over and over again, which never show anything.  Insurance doesn't cover 100% of every test, and now I have a hefty bill over there.

[jsharp29]

It seems like the spots manifest as missing bits on the amsler grid. I have about three in my right eye and two in my left.

I've been wanting to go to the doctor about it but from reading everyone else's posts it almost seems like a waste of time.

[mel07green]

i've had all sorts of things speculated to me - from migraines to a virus to ambylopia. no actual diagnosis though.

[TechGuy02]

Hey, I've got the exact same problem. My problem started with floaters though, and then six months later I developed first one small spot and then within weeks a couple more in both eyes. Some disappeared, but some seem to be permanent and have been there for almost a year now. Real small spots that I really only see when looking at something with contrasting lines. Spreadsheets on the computer are the worst. I've been to more eye doctors than I can name, retinal specialists, neuro-ophths, etc. No one can find anything wrong at all. A few have mentioned the possibility of some sort of an infection causing it, but nothing has shown any definitive signs of that. I'll let you know if they figure anything out.

[mel07green]

yep, i'm exactly the same as you, as far as the "positive" and "negative" spots go.

i can see the spots with my eyes closed for a few days/weeks after the first appear. once they settle down and become scotomas, i can no longer see them except under the conditions you describe above - positive when i blink, negative when i pass the mouse through one, etc.

so you can see them on the amsler grid? that means they in the central 10 degrees of vision, ie the macula. same as mine.

tell me, how do they manifest on the grid? as missing bits? as grey spots? also, how many do you have, roughly?

i can't tell you how reassuring (not sure if that's the right word) to talk with someone going through the same ...

mel

[jsharp29]

I just did an amsler grid for the first time and I guess the spots would be more central to my vision as well because I can see all of my spots with my head about 1 foot away fromt the grid. When said peripheral I guess I meant not directly in the center.

soplussed, yes my spots are also sometimes 'positive' and 'negative'. They're mainly 'negative' when I don't blink and something passes through the spot that doesn't really contrast with the background
For example, when looking a white computer screen and I pass the mouse pointer across the spot the pointer just disappears.
The spot is 'positive' when the backgrounds contrast or I blink.

Are you guys able to see the spot just after you close your eyes? I can sometimes.


nancydrew, it's good to hear your doc seems to think it's fine. That's reassuring.