Visual Disturbances

[Hjaltland]

I have found that taking vitamin B complex has coincided with a marked drop in these visual disturbances.

[helz_belz]

funnily enough my visual disturbances (shimmering, sparkles, retina burn) came on AFTER i came off a vitamin b complex. I got a toxic reaction to the b6, so had to come off to detox (b6 can cause peripheral neuropathy in toxic levels, i couldnt walk properly was so bad). b vitamins can be addictive in the body, so coming off them means my nerves have to readjust to lower levels. in a way its good to know that b vitamins are a factor in this, hopefully once I'm fully detoxed my vision will return to normal.

[Alabasterlyn]

I started having some visual disturbances a couple of months ago. For me it was like seeing a flash from a camera out of the inner corner of my left eye. As quickly as I looked towards it though it was gone. I did go to my optician, who had no idea what it was and referred me to my GP. Didn't have a very good time with the GP as she said it "could" be the start of a detached retina and then told me it would take up to 3wks to be seen on the NHS.

I decided to see an opthamologist privately and spent about 50mins being tested for various things. Was eventually told it's something to do with the vitreous cover on the eye that pulls as you move your eyes and not to worry about it. Also was told I had something called a schisis, which is a thinning of the retina, but that apparently is also nothing to worry about.

[Guns]

Hi folks, I just found this forum and thought I'd ask if anyone else has the same symptom as me.
Rather than sparkes or spots in my vision I actually get a transparent hole in my central vision. The best way I can describe it is imagine you are staring straight ahead, say face to face with someone. Initially, I can see the other person just fine, but when the symptons come on (and the come on in an instant, no build up) it is like someone erased the face of the person I was looking at. I can see everything around them in my peripheral vision, but the face is just a transparent hole.

The attacks last anything from 15 minutes to several days and have improved since trialling several differing medications from my GP. At present, I take one 40mg propanalol (Beta Blockers) a day, usually in the evening. I was prescribed 2 a day but the effect on my heart was disturbing as it lowers your blood pressure and slows the heart rate. One a day is fine for now. Instead of 2-3 attacks a week I now only get maybe 2 a month sometimes even longer.
I am not stressed, I am not an anxious person so I have no idea what is triggering these attacks, but I'd really like to hear if anyone else gets this syptom and what they do to prevent or relieve it.

Thanks

Ian

[Mindful]

It sounds very much like an aura migraine to me, has the doc mentioned this at all? x

---------- Post added at 20:27 ---------- Previous post was at 20:27 ----------

My post was in reply to guns, i should have quoted you, sorry x

[happycarrot]

I agree with Mindful--that sounds very much like a migraine with aura. It's possible to get the aura (in your case, visual symptoms) without getting a severe headache or even much of a headache at all. Beta blockers are commonly used to prevent these migraines--that's why I take a beta blocker--so the medication should help. I would ask the doctor if migraine is a possibility in your case.

[OliviaD]

Hi -

I just found this blog. My first visual aura (acephalgic migraine) was almost 50 years ago. I never get the headache; and yes I know that puts me in about 1% of the population!

Dave

Hi, Dave. That's interesting to hear! Among my many visual disturbances, I - very rarely - get scintillating scotomas, but I've never ever had headache with it.
First one was when I was 14, I think, more than 20 years ago.

[TomTom4049]

I too have had this occur four times in my 53 1/2 years of age. The first time was while in High School, 9th grade I think. On the way home I noticed a very round area to the right side of my peripheral vision with diagonal strips of quickly alternating black and white. I could not look directly at it. I thought this was odd and after a time I noticed I was getting a worsening headache. Later I'd describe it as a migraine. I had another one 20 years later followed by a similar migraine. Then I had the third about 7 years after the last. Now, about 6 years later, I had the fourth one this past Friday afternoon. I was using my computer and noticed I was having difficulty seeing areas of the screen and noticed the shimmering area on my lower right but it was still evident when I closed my right eye. Come to think of it, the shimmering has each time been on the right side of my field of vision. Looking at a external CD ROM drive laying close by with the word SAMSUNG on the top, all I could see was the S and the rest just wasn't visible to me. If I shifted my focal point off to the left I could see the whole word. I was pretty sure what was happening, scintillating scotoma, and immediately took two liquid capsule Ibuprofen. Within less than 20 minutes the visual effect began to subside (5 minutes or so once it began to fade). I kept a dull headache for the rest of the evening but it wasn't too much of an issue. I suppose I will have these on and off for the rest of my life. Each of the last two times I immediately thought "stroke" but dismissed that after recognizing it as a recurrence of scintillation scotoma. I suggest (if you tolerate Ibuprofen well, or Tylenol or aspirin) to take a couple, the sooner the better, to head-off the severity of the headache and for me at least, elimination of the visual disturbance itself.

[Ronno]

Hi , I've had optic migraines on and off for 15 years , it starts off with a blind spot followed by the zig zag flashing lights around 40 mins later it's gone , leaving me washed out for a few days , I don't know why they scare me but they do , fuelling my anxiety of course . A point of interest most start with me trying to see in low light ? Focusing my eyes on one spot and then that sometimes starts the optic migraine off , others say its bright light . But I have read that when one starts drink plenty of fluids and that shortens the optic migraine ?
Hope that's of interest .