Unusual visual disorder

[kaykay8435]

Yesterday, when I sat down at my computer I could not read anything on the screen.  All I could see were bright spots of the kind I get when a camera flash goes off near my eyes except that these spots were colorless and the camera caused spots are red and green.  I closed my eyes for a few minutes and was able to read the screen with difficulty.  I noticed that if I glanced at an outside window, my vision inside the house was gone for a few minutes.  The effect was perfectly bilateral.  My blood pressure is low and blood glucose well controlled on insulin and metformin.  No trouble at all seeing outdoors. Only the area where the widow image was on the retina was affected.  

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
Thank you for your update. It is good that you were able to identify the cause with your experiment at home. This information may be very helpful to other members of the forum. With this in mind, you can surely avoid these visual recurrences. However, regular follow-up with your attending physician is also highly recommended to ensure that there are no diabetes complications are present. Best regards.

[kaykay8435]

Thank you Dr. Santos.  Apparently is is buproprion or a combination of buproprion and other meds I am on.  I went off the med and the spots did not recur.  I went back on buproprion, and within 24 hrs the spots were back.  

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
Ophthalmoplegic or ocular migraine usually begins with a headache felt in the eye and is often accompanied by vomiting. As the headache progresses, the eyelid droops  and nerves responsible for eye movement become paralyzed. You can try the medications that worked before or if this persists, it is best that you have thic checked by your doctor for proper evaluation. Direct clinical examination is essential. Take care and best regards.

[kaykay8435]

The key here is that the disorder is almost perfectly bi-lateral.  therefore, it has to be something that affects both eyes equally.  Everyone I have talked to agrees that it is ocular migraine.  I was on two drugs for a relatively short time, and DC'd them immediatley and the problem has not recurred.   After two weeks off the drugs, I will re-start them one at a time.  If the problem recurs, we have our answer.  If it does not recur, I am going to forget it unless someone has some better idea.  

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How are you? Are there other symptom present? Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease in adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina wherein the blood vessels swell and leak fluid. Initially, there are no symptoms or changes to the vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss. A few specks of blood, or spots, "floating" in your vision and severely blurred vision are usually observed. It is best that you check with your doctor or be referred to an eye specialist for proper evaluation. Take care and do keep us posted.