View Full Version : Going blind? :( visual problems big time
Hi,
Over the past few months I've been getting more and more vision problems, which just seem to get worse. I'm so scared I'm either going blind, or there is some other deep underlying condition. I've had a brain MRI which came back clear and I've had blood tests.
Floaters
Visual Snow (this has got much worse over the past week, especially in the dark, or looking at a bright light, or computer screen)
White movings dots/blue field etopic phenomenon. If I look at my screen or out at the sky, it looks like there are tonnes of tiny white dots moving around randomly (difference issue to floaters and visual snow)
Randomly seeing a blue dot in the corner of my eye for a few seconds, or a blue patch over centre of vision
Really bad after image/trails. If I look at any object, especially bright it burn s into my vision quickly making everything look weird and patchy all the time like there are loads of shadows.
Seeing random bright tiny dots flash in corner of eye every now and then.
And shimmering. I've had odd circles of shimmering, but I was laying with my eyes shut, and it seemed like there were flashing lights, so I opened my eyes, and the whole of my vision was shimmering for about 5-10 seconds, it was teriffying almost like a fit.
I also get 'star bursting' when looking at a light. It will look like loads of bright lines are coming out and depending the angle I look at the light, can stretch down quite far,. I also see like a raindbow glow/halo around lights
I'm so scared, has anyone had any of these, if so which ones? =/ II went to s standard optician a couple months back, they said everything seems fine.
Would aprpeciate responses as I won't be able to sleep tonight :(
Ive had most of those symptoms and they are really frightening. If it was me I would go back to your Doctor and insist that these symptoms are getting worse and you want them looked at further. But, if you've recently had a MRI scan, blood tests and eye tests and all have come back fine try not to worry too much, anxiety can cause all of these symptoms. But, if you feel your eyes are deteriorating quickly I would go to see your Doctor. Hope all goes well :hugs:
Also, do you work a lot with computers at all? Because some of your symptoms can be caused by that. I've had Halos for years and it's caused by eye strain from spending too much time looking directly at a computer screen. Like I said if you're worrying best to go back to your GP.
If all the tests came back fine then try not to worry. talk to your doc though to put your mind at rest. If you were going blind an optician would definitely know
Hi,
Over the past few months I've been getting more and more vision problems, which just seem to get worse. I'm so scared I'm either going blind, or there is some other deep underlying condition. I've had a brain MRI which came back clear and I've had blood tests.
Floaters
Visual Snow (this has got much worse over the past week, especially in the dark, or looking at a bright light, or computer screen)
White movings dots/blue field etopic phenomenon. If I look at my screen or out at the sky, it looks like there are tonnes of tiny white dots moving around randomly (difference issue to floaters and visual snow)
Randomly seeing a blue dot in the corner of my eye for a few seconds, or a blue patch over centre of vision
Really bad after image/trails. If I look at any object, especially bright it burn s into my vision quickly making everything look weird and patchy all the time like there are loads of shadows.
Seeing random bright tiny dots flash in corner of eye every now and then.
And shimmering. I've had odd circles of shimmering, but I was laying with my eyes shut, and it seemed like there were flashing lights, so I opened my eyes, and the whole of my vision was shimmering for about 5-10 seconds, it was teriffying almost like a fit.
I also get 'star bursting' when looking at a light. It will look like loads of bright lines are coming out and depending the angle I look at the light, can stretch down quite far,. I also see like a raindbow glow/halo around lights
I'm so scared, has anyone had any of these, if so which ones? =/ II went to s standard optician a couple months back, they said everything seems fine.
Would aprpeciate responses as I won't be able to sleep tonight :(
Hello mate,
I suffer from most of these symptoms. Considering you've had an MRI you're fine. Most of these symptoms are linked highly to anxiety and forms of migraines. The more you feed your hypersensitivity the more you will notice the symptoms! Have you ever suffered from migraines? How much do you use a computer?
Try to relax. Floaters and starburst and most visual disturbances like you have explained usually point to such things as anxiety and other minimal conditions. You are not going blind, you are fine. Try not to focus on the symptoms and try and get a referral to an opthamologist. The MRI should give you peace of mind! You're fine!
- Zigs!
Thanks everyone.
I have an opthamologist appointment in 3 weeks, so hopefully that will put my mind at rest!
An opthamologist isn't even necessary. If an OPTOMETRIST has ruled out your eyes from being subject of disease and your MRI is clear, you should be happy. You have a clean bill of health!
- Zigs.
omg! i get them all the time. they used to scare me but not so much now cuz got used to them. do u av like u look at sumthing & it seems to b moving.
anxietyoverload
24-10-12, 17:27
I have had all these and more, the higher your adrenaline levels (which will be sky high when your worrying about it) the more things you will see x hopefully they will get better soon :) x
There is such a condition that exists in where somebody notices visual disturbances constantly yet these have always been around. I think it's called Hypervigilance - more common in Migraine sufferers.
Then I'm being totally hypervigilant these last 8 months! Oh well... it'll pass, right? :P
It's a great comfort to hear others get the same symptoms .my anxiety started in the mid 1980s after the trauma of seeing my nephew having is first fit in frount of me ( he was a alcoholic and hadn't topped up that day ! )
He told me later that he saw coloures before going into the fit . That was it I thought I'd be next , as well as the panic attacks and many other symptoms , which I have under control now , I still focus closely on my eyes , made worst by the fact that when under stress I get optic migraines , and although I know they are harmless and don't hurt ( I don't get the headaches ) I still fear them ? .
As for the squiggly lines when you look at a bright surface , everyone gets that .
The rest of of your eye symptoms I get exactly . And have done for years . I dread bright sunny days , because the reflections causes after images , and I fear it might start a optic migraine , all because of a event that happened 26 years ago . And even though I can see this , at times of stress I'm blind to the facts .
Your not alone, take care.
Something I've noticed about my visual disturbances is that when I don't focus on them, they disappear. However when I DO think about them they come rushing back and make me worry more.
Hypervigilence isn't an ongoing symptom. It lasts for as long as your subconscious mind is anxious. The more you worry, the more you even acknowledge a single anxious thought, the more you see. If you've had these visual disturbances for 8 MONTHS - It's safe to say that they're not really a part of anything serious. If you had something serious, really serious, then 8 months would be enough time for that sickness to kick in hard enough that you need medical assistance. Since you aren't in the hospital and you are here, be happy.
:shades:
Ooh, you were replying to me, Ziggy. I Missed it. Thanks. :)
My symptoms come and go, and change. So no, they can't be serious, especially after 3 visits with the eye doctor! But you know how it is... you focus on a slight change (or what you perceive as change) and freak out. Just tonight I slept bad because of this... but this morning I'm trying not to focus on it and things appear normal (as long as visual snow as normal!)
I have had this all my life, so I don't worry about it at all. But I understand that if you are not used to it, it makes you worry.
I have all these symptoms was going to post about it but you've dine that for me.
It's the tiny blue dots that are freaking nme out most because I think I have a brain tumor.
:blush:
I have been having a lot of eye symptoms. My fears began when I noticed distorted vision in my right eye but thought it was because I had presseed my eye. Fast forward 4.5 years and I went to an ophthamologist who said he saw dots in my eyes that were common in people with blue eyes but if I had greater risk factors including older (I was 38 at the time) it could be early Macular Degeneration. Of course I go home, google and then realise I had distortion which is a symptom (but only after blurred/diminished vision usually). I completely panicked and rushed myself back to the hospital. A retinal specialist checked my retinas carefully with a very bright )painful) light moved across slowly and they took pictures and said my retinas were 100% healthy. No mention even of dots (which may have been pigmentation or drusen - but I assume that if I had these they would have at least mentioned this).
They said the distortion must be neurological and sent me to a neural ophthamologist, but I ended up not going but went on a health scare of MS. My fear was so great I then developed twitching so my fear then became ALS which I was tested for and I was fine.
So after that date I have been paranoid about my vision.
The distortion hasn't gotten worse at all (I DO check for changes) but as my fear is worse I definitely notice other things. All of the above and also recently a brown smokey effect when I look at the sky or even bright road. It is equal in both eyes (I assume eye disease would come on differently in each eye). It looks like smoke being sucked into the center of my vision. It is steady and continuous. It goes away sometimes and I have only noticed a few times but it is scary. I think it has only happened after working out so wonder if it is something to do with higher blood pressure after exercise?
Has anyone else seen this or heard of it? I have not seen anything described like this. I have been VERY stressed (major OCD) and I spend A LOT of time on the computer.
---------- Post added at 19:06 ---------- Previous post was at 19:04 ----------
Oh, by the way, white dots moving fast around when looking at the sky (they look like little bright dots swimming around along paths and you may notice they move with your heart beat) are actually the white blood cells. I have read that seeing them means your eyes are healthy. Funnily enough I see these too, but not as much when I see the 'smoke'.
Oh dear! The "smoke" thing (I call it vortex though) is the symptom I hate the most. It's slowly getting better in time. I recently started therapy for somatization and I'm also taking a supplement for the eye microcirculation.
---------- Post added at 12:28 ---------- Previous post was at 11:37 ----------
Btw - regarding pressure in the eye: you don't have to have high bp or particular problems to see changes in your vision. Just a slight change in pressure can make you "see things". Just think of when you stand up abruptly and see "stars" for a moment.
For example, my blood pressure is perfect and my intraocular pressure too. And yet, this winter I had a very strong cough for a while, I literally coughed all day... and started seeing the eye veins pulsating! I called my doctor and he reassured me it happens.
I get the eye veins pulsating in my peripheral also. My blood pressure is quite low so and it only occurs when I am exercising or at least more active. I have been very sedentary lately.
I am VERY relieved that someone else has the vortex (that is a great way of describing it as it actually reminded me of the original Dr. Who opening except it is as if you are going in reverse. LOL I really thought it was only me and was very worried.
My vision is a little double today. I have been spending all my evenings until late (VERY - 3 or so in the morning) on the computer but have cut using it in the day mostly and am slowly working on getting a better sleep pattern so hopefully that will help. Thanks for the reassurance Olivia.
Glad to help, and to find others with this thing (but you're not the first). It mustn't be so uncommon because the first eye doctor I went to immediately told me "I know what you describe. It's anxiety!" Btw, I've had it in the past but it was almost unnoticeable. Except in the summer of 2003, it was very hot and maybe I was stressed, so I had it quite intense a few times. It went away though.
Anyway, yours sounds more random than mine, so you're lucky. :)
Take care.
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