[ECHOES]

Since I woke up today, I have been having flashes like lightning in my right eye. No eye pain and no headache. It's mostly on the right, from right of center to peripheral. I have floaters too, have for decades. These flashes may be related to floaters, from what I read today. But I've never had them before, so it's kind of worrying me.

Has anyone else had this who can tell me it's not anything to worry about?

[Belle1979]

hey there,

Have you ever suffered from Migraines?
I get migraines with an aura (flashing lights in my eyes that last the duration of my migraine..) this could be it.
I got my first one when I was 8 and it scared the c*** out of me.. couldn't understand what I was seeing and couldn't get it out of my eyes.

[ECHOES]

Belle1979, thank you so much for responding. I'm sorry you have migraines.
I used to have migraines regularly as part of PMS, but I have only had a very rare one since menopause.

[Belle1979]

My migraines used to wipe me out for several days but now (after 22 years of them LOL) I don't really get the headache that goes with it anymore. Just the aura, numbness (caused by blood clots) and difficulty speaking... more like a mini stoke/infarction... they tire me out but I can still function

Do you think that it is an aura that you were having as I don't get the headache pain with mine all of the time?

[ECHOES]

Well I don't know. It is still there, and especially when I move my eye to the right and then back again.

What is an aura like?

Gosh, I hope you have seen a doctor to make sure yours aren't mini-strokes.

[Belle1979]

I'm VERY stroke prone... but there is nothing much they can do other than monitor me and keep my blood thinned out (sounds yucky I know).

usaully with my Aura it starts of small.. like flashing lights in the corner or my vision.. but if you try to look at it it isn't there... sort of have to just look ahead and then I'll notice it.. Not sure if everyones is the same but it mine grows to eventually cover about 90% of my vision then hangs around like that for a half hour or so and then just goes away..

[ECHOES]

Today, after 2 days of flashing bolts, I had a sudden occurrance of strings of floaters, like rivers. Now I have one that I can't seem to get out of my line of vision.
I don't have an eye doctor at this time.
I don't have cash to see an eye doctor.
I am really afraid I might be having detached retina or impending detached retina symptoms but I don't know if it warrants an ER trip.
I am absolutely terrified of losing my vision.

I don't know what to do...

[Belle1979]

Echoes, I think if it is causing you distress and making you so worried then it does warrant a trip to the ER - at the very least it will give you an answer as to what is happening.
Get down to the hosipital and let me know what the out come is xxxx

[January]

Echoes, I think you should go to the ER, too. At least they could look in your eye with a light. Please let us know how you're doing.

((((((((((echoes)))))))))))))

Have you seen a doctor yet?? I hope you will go...sometimes serious things can be prevented if we go and get seen when we first have symptoms.

I'm so sorry you have such a scary thing going on.

[lynn P.]

Hi Echoes,
three months ago, I had the same thing happen to me. It started out as a dark shape at the top of my vision, Then when I look to the right, like when you're driving I would see a bright flash. This is definately vision related. I went to my doctor and she said - sometimes as we get older the gel like part of the eye, will have a piece brake off and this is a 'floater'. Since it was a new one it appeared dark. SHe checked my retina and said it was normal. I still want to get a second opinion because it's still bothering me.

It's best if you go to an eye doctor who has the equipment to look deep into your eye. If you can't afford it, then do go to the ER - if it's the beginning of a 'detached retina' then it needs to be treated ASAP. I hope it's nothing serious - it's very scary when something goes wrong with our eyes.Here's a link with good information:

http://www.visitech.org/flashes-and-floaters.html

[ECHOES]

Thank you everyone
I have an appointment with an ophthalmologist tomorrow at 2.
It may be nothing but it would feel reassuring to have someone look at my eye and then say, aww it's nothing

[lynn P.]

Good luck Echoes. I know exactly what you're feeling and talking about. I think I want to go for a second opinion.

[ECHOES]

lynn, I think your peace of mind needs that second opinion . I hope you will go for it!

[Belle1979]

ECHOES - did you have the appoinment yet?
Hope you are okay x

[rainbow8]

What did the doctor say? Detached retina is serious; I hope it's not what it is/was. Please post!

[ECHOES]

I am seeing a retina/vitreous specialist next week. (They are 'back of the eye' specialists, whereas a regular ophthalmologist is a 'front of the eye' specialist).

I have a family history of glaucoma and an abnormality in my eye (the 'cups' are not symmetrical) that makes me 50% more likely to end up with glaucome. I also have a family history of macular degeneration, which is always genetic. The biggest risk factor is smoking and I smoked for over 30 years, quitting 5 years ago March 1st.

I don't have a retinal tear or detachment. I have an extreme amount of floaters in my eye and the reason I am being sent to the retina specialists is that the symptoms I am having (the flashes when I look to the right, or when I turn my head, and the sudden shower of streams of floaters I had) are related to an eleveated risk of a retinal tear or detachment within 6 weeks of these symptoms starting.

So for now it will have to bug me. And worry me, but I'm doing what I need to do.

Thanks to every one of you!

[January]

(((((((((( Echoes )))))))))))

We'll all wait, worry, pray and hope with you.

[rainbow8]

((((((ECHOES)))))),

I'm sorry that you will have to wait and worry now, but I'm so glad you went to the dr. and that you are going to see the specialist. I'm so good at worrying that you don't even have to do it, LOL.

[lynn P.]

Originally Posted by ECHOES

lynn, I think your peace of mind needs that second opinion . I hope you will go for it!

-------------------------------------------------------------------

I think you're right. I'll ask my family doctor to refer me to another doctor. It bothers me(flashes) the most when I'm driving at night, when I look over my right shoulder. I also forgot to ask if there's anything that can be done for the floaters. Everyone has them and they're noticable when we're in sunlight but they increase as we age. I'm glad you're seeing the right doctor.

[sunrise]

ECHOES, thank goodness you will see a retina specialist. I know it's costly, but vision is so important. I hope the retina MD knows exactly what it is and what to do about it.

I have weird cups on my optic nerves too, so am a glaucoma suspect. I just saw my opthamologist for the first time in over a year and a half and he was not happy about that. He likes to see me every 6 months to monitor for glaucoma. Basically he said "I can't help save your vision if you're not going to have appointments with me." The thing is, I have been a glaucoma suspect for about 15 years, and every time, it is still the same. It never gets worse, it never gets better, so I think why even go? But he says it could suddenly get worse, so I should go so he can catch it when it happens and help save my vision.

Good luck at your upcoming appointment.

[ECHOES]

Thank you.
Yes, sunny, do see your eye doc. Glaucoma is not noticable so he is your lifeline to preserving your vision. If it doesn't get worse, then hooray!! That is an accomplishment, to go to the appointment and learn all is well, right?
I learned at my first ophth. visit that the difference in the cups means that some optice nerve damage has occurred and that is why the cups are not symmetrical. That stuck with me and made me see more why this is important.

So I saw the retina specialist Tuesday. Now I have an ophthalm doc for the front of the eye (vision, cataracts, etc) and one for the back (retina, macula, etc).
I have a posterior vitreous detachment. When that happens, it can pull on the retina and cause a tear or a detachment. My retina is intact, no tears The new floaters that are solid black (versus the old floaters that are lighter, like dust motes) and the streamers, rivers that occurred are blood from a hemorrhage. Right now that blood is stuck but it will resolve slowly.

I am at a greater risk, but not a great risk, of retina detachment in the next 6 weeks following the onset of this on the 11th. I am to call the retina ophthalm if I experience any more sudden increase of floaters or more showers/streamers and lightning flashes. I'm to call 24/7, holidays included.

This doctor was so nice. As I was sitting in one exam room waiting, he walked by and looked in the open door on his way past and said hello. It was a very 'present' hello, with eye contact. He could have rushed past without acknowledging me, or but he took that one tiny second to do that and it made me relax. Very nice. Tall, dark and handsome, very fine business suit---which is very unusal here in the casual sub-tropics! Harvard med school. Personable and patient as can be.

So, I wait. Nothing special to do. If I were, say, in martial arts, that kind of activity would be advised against. Since I am a couch potato, no worries there

I see both ophthalm docs in about a month and the retina doc would like to see me regularly.

More good news is that I am not a candidate for macular degeneration. I saw my mother struggle with that for years. So mention of that really bothered me. I had thought it was her hypertension that was the main factor. Although smoking is also a factor, I quit 5 years ago. This doc says that it was her hypertension that was her primary factor. So I'm relieved about that too.

[rainbow8]

((((ECHOES))))

I'm glad that you saw the specialist and that your prognosis is not so bad. It's good that you are going to see both doctors regularly; they know what they're doing! My stepmother had macular degeneration so I Know how awful that is and how relieved you are that you are not a candidate for it.

[sugahorse1]

I experience similar things - little floating "blobs" in my vision. Recently they have been coupled with a dull headache too

[lynn P.]

Thanks for the update ((Echoes)) - sounds like you're being taken care of. When I had my problem the floater was a long black snake looking thing at the top of my vision. Later on it went away and they were whitish which made a blurry spot as it floated. Too bad these floaters can't be flushed out - they're frustrating.