Eye flashes

no1catman

Has anybody here got experience of this? How long did it last? One or both eyes? Did you find any treatment that dealt with it or at least reduced it?

Partner had it about five years ago, took longer than (Optician) forecast before fading away. Came back, with a vengeance last Friday, first one eye then both, managed to get an eye-medical on Saturday - at least reassured no likelihood of detached retina.
While it's not life threatening, she's getting very upset by it, restricts what she can do, in case the flashes start. While one eye has calmed down, still a problem with the other.
The previous time took months, please God, it won't be that long again!!

BananaRepublic

If you get flashing lights in an eye you need to see an ophthalmologist at your local hospital ASAP, for the reason you indicate ie retinal detachment. It’s best to go to the eye clinic as ordinary doctors don’t have the skills and equipment. Since she has seen a doctor, she must have had a diagnosis, in which case there should be useful notes online eg on the NHS website, and ma6be the RNIB web site too.

I have PVD in my left eye, but it doesn’t sound like your partner has PVD.

In my case I had imaginary hairs and millions of dots in front of the eye, and flashes of light visible when in the dark eg driving. The flashes are due to mechanical strain on the retina causing an eletrical impulse which is seen as a flash of light. A small number of people with PVD suffer retinal tears.

no1catman

Why wait hours to be seen in A & E, when Opticians providing Eye-medicals have the same equipment as available in Hospital Eye Department?
AS I stated in the original post, Optician reassured her that she DOES NOT have Retinal Detachment.
Nevertheless, she has found the continuing experience very upsetting, e.g. goes to bed earlier to avoid the twilight flashes, and has difficulty coping with the cobweb' like vision in her right eye.
Can only hope, that it will reduce over time.

BananaRepublic

no1catman wrote: »

Why wait hours to be seen in A & E, when Opticians providing Eye-medicals have the same equipment as available in Hospital Eye Department?

Because a) in my case the symptoms started in the evening, and I was instructed by a paramedic to go to A&E immediately b) you do need to be seen quickly in case of retinal detachment (Ideally within 12 hours or less) and c) I was told by a doctor that the opticians are not trained to the same standard as a hospital ophthalmologist.

no1catman wrote: »

AS I stated in the original post, Optician reassured her that she DOES NOT have Retinal Detachment.

I know and I didn't say she did. I was commenting for anyone who had the same symptoms.

no1catman wrote: »

Nevertheless, she has found the continuing experience very upsetting, e.g. goes to bed earlier to avoid the twilight flashes, and has difficulty coping with the cobweb' like vision in her right eye.
Can only hope, that it will reduce over time.

I have no idea what she has although the symptoms are like mine, except in my case they almost completely went in a day or two once the vitreous humour had detached from the back of the eye. Do you know what her issue is called? (Other than a right pain in the backside.) And yes let's hope it calms down.

LadyDee

I have this happen very occasionally, and I was told it is ocular or visular migraine. No pain and nothing to worry about. Maybe ask the optician if it might be one of these conditions?

BananaRepublic

LadyDee wrote: »

I have this happen very occasionally, and I was told it is ocular or visular migraine. No pain and nothing to worry about. Maybe ask the optician if it might be one of these conditions?

I’ve also had visual migraines. In my case they were brought on by stress. They started when I was working for some very very nasty people, and then quickly subsided after I left. (I was sacked, though I don’t know why. It turned out to be the best thing that has ever happened to me. But that’s an aside.) A visual migraine started with my outer visual field becoming blurry at the edges, with the blurriness gradually moving inwards until I was unable to see. It lasted about half an hour. They are said to have many forms.

Mr_Costcutter

A friend experienced 'eye flashes' a few years ago. He went to his optician who told him it was probably due to migraines. He then went to his GP who agreed with this diagnosis. The flashes continued for 12 months on and off. They then disappeared and came back one day when we were at a cricket match. He described the flashes as like lightening in the corner of his eye. I suggested a trip to A & E and he was extremely reluctant to go. I'm glad he did because his eye was dilated and the consultant found a problem which needed prompt attention. He was referred to Moorfields and the professor there explained that the flashes a few years ago were due to a retinal tear and not to migraines. The eye had then tried to repair the tear and a lot of scar tissue had built up in that particular area. My friend is being monitored as a consequence. He's at a high risk of detachment, but removing the scar tissue apparently isn't a good idea. The whole situation is pretty scary.