tired of worrying about my eyes.

[tara1414]

Okay, I am a 46 yr old female. I have vitalliform macular dystrophy(rare eye disorder) which effects my central vision. About two months ago I started seeing drops of white light roting in my eys. Both eyes at different times. These were sort of like flashed of light that only lasted a second and happened when I was reading, watching tv, outside during the day and while on computer. They did not happen very often but then I got a visual migrain. So I went to my retinal specialist. He took pictures with the dye for the back of my eye. There was leakage in left eye so he treated it.with an injection. The next day I got another visual migrain. I called them back and they said that it was just a visual migrain not to worry. unless it didnt go away.

Well I am not sure if anxiety or stress came on hard since I have health anxiety to begin with) But I started to see these annoying "quick " flashes of white light which looked like a tiny fan rotating in my vision, but would only last a second . And then a day or two later another visual migrain. I have been getting the visual zig zag flashing lights in both eyes once a week. I went to my primary dr and he did a ton of blood work and an MRI. Everything came back normal. I went back to the eye dr and he checked my eyes again and other then my disorder with leakage everything seemed fine.

My blood pressure was also normal. I do not have any other symptoms except a few days ago I started to get an ear ache and noticed alot of tenderness near my ear in back of mouth. I go to a dentist regularly and do not have oral cancer. I feel great otherwise, I did start to drink coffee again last summer after not drinking it for 20 years. I also am getting irregular menstrual cycles. and since I am 46 I beleive i am in peri-menopause. I suffer from anxiety and worry about my health sometimes it becomes obsessive. should I be worried about any other hidden conditions and any other tests need to be done.
thanks for reading

[tara1414]

What vascular diseases cause eye disturbances?

[Doreen Fazio, M.D.]

It sounds as if you have had a very thorough evaluation.  Quick flashes or light, or photopsias, can be due to the vitreous pulling on the retina as it goes through the normal age-related process of separating from the retina. If this is the case, the light flashes themselves are not harmful.  If they are accompanied by the sudden onset of many new floaters, then you need an immediate dilated retinal evaluation by an ophthalmologist.  I would consider an MRA just to be sure there is not any vascular condition accounting for the symptoms.