Vision issues?

[.Poppy.]

I hope this is in the right place...I'm new to the forum so I'm still getting the hang of things.

First of all, I am very aware that I have health anxiety issues. It started when I was 16 and felt "doomed" and I am now 20 - over that span I have had what seems like every symptom there is and convinced myself I have many things - though there always seem to be more symptoms.

Anyway - to my current situation.

I noticed a couple of months ago that I had a "trail" or "tracer" in my vision. It's always in bright light - sunlight, lamps, etc - and it's only in the *right* kind of light. So it's not consistent in that I always get it by a lamp or the sun, it seems to have to hit me just the right way.

It only happens if I am *not* focused on the object - my hand, arm, whatever. If I focus on it, and follow it as it moves, it's fine.

I also recently noticed that my vision through one eye seems slightly darker than the other - it's slight, but of course worrying.

I know my contacts dry my eyes out and I have an appointment with my eye doctor sometime this month and will be requesting new ones. But I'm still worrying - as always. I haven't found much googling (which yes, I know is bad) but found some stuff about MS and am naturally worried. Anyone have similar issues?

Thanks.

[Anxious_gal]

I'm pretty sure that's common, not too sure as to what is the cause but I get that too, but like you it only happens in certain lighting conditions.

I notice with regards to colours, if i look at a blue shirt, from one eye the shirt seems slightly lighter, then from the other eye slightly darker.

MS has a lot of symptoms, anxiety suffers tend to pick and choose and mix and match symptoms to self diagnose. If you had MS you would have some more and much worse symptoms :)

If you ever get migraines, that can make you much more prone to visual disturbances.

[.Poppy.]

Thanks, you made me feel better. I do get migraines - I have had them since I was 11 and have had some visual things associated with them. I've also noticed in the past couple of years that visual issues usually signal some kind of migraine coming on, but I haven't had one in a couple of months and I haven't had a very severe one since last year.

[Anxious_gal]

I once went almost a year without a migraine :) But then had a good few of them this year.
You can get visual problems, like the aura but without the headache and other migraine symptoms.

With MS most of the vision problems are cause by the optic nerve damage, which a doctor can easily pick up by looking into your eyes.

[RLR]

When light of certain frequencies stimulate the rods on the surface of the retina, they can sometimes result in temporary saturation, ie blinding white light. If you look away during the process, you will note a trailing effect as though the luminance is following your eye movements. The same is true in certain instances by staring at an object for a minute or so and then quickly shifting to a white or light-colored background, finding that a persistence of vision of the object remains for a few moments. These effects are not a sign of a problem at all and are entirely normal.

Additionally, dissimilarity in light contrast between one eye and the other is entirely normal and you should be aware that significant stress can cause this distinction to become quite prominent in some instances. This too, however, is entirely benign and does not suggest a problem.

Best regards,


Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)

[.Poppy.]

Thanks guys.

I just have one more question: I have a similar trailing effect if I am not focused on an object but it passes through my vision anyway. Its more noticeable if both eyes are open but I have tested it and it happens if one eye is closed as well. I'm thinking that I'm just really noticing it because I'm anxious and aware but its troubling......again, it doesn't happen if I'm focused on the object, just when I'm not. Any ideas?

---------- Post added at 17:50 ---------- Previous post was at 17:50 ----------

Thanks guys.

I just have one more question: I have a similar trailing effect if I am not focused on an object but it passes through my vision anyway. Its more noticeable if both eyes are open but I have tested it and it happens if one eye is closed as well. I'm thinking that I'm just really noticing it because I'm anxious and aware but its troubling......again, it doesn't happen if I'm focused on the object, just when I'm not. Any ideas?