Does anyone else get this visual symptom?

[HealthAnxiety12]

I haven't been able to find anyone who says that their vision is like mine, so I'm wondering if someone here is experiencing the same thing. I'm assuming that it's due to anxiety. I'll try to explain it the best that I can:

I have light spots and patches of light in my vision. It's more noticeable in certain lighting. Sometimes I see a blue dot at the edge of my vision but it usually just looks like a smudge in my glasses that's making that section of my vision look lighter. It's not a problem with my glasses even though I only notice it when I'm wearing them. I also sometimes see what looks like a cob of white lines in the corner of my eye. Can anyone relate?

Here's an image to help explain what I mean (the first one is the normal image and the second is similar to how I see things):

http://i58.tinypic.com/2a98djt.png

http://i61.tinypic.com/2w5ivdz.png

[fruity]

i do have anxiety related vision problems but not sure about this but you can bet i have. but the smudge part could be to do with diabetis have you been checked. my dad used to have that alot even wearing glasses

[fedup36]

Hi,

Yes As soon as I go into a supermarket I get real issues with everything going very white if that makes sense and it all goes a bit blotchy and light.. so hard to explain!

I also get when driving at night blue lights/spots in my vision, it always scares me but think its normal!! x

[HealthAnxiety12]

Thank you for the responses. I don't have diabetes. I'm going to ask the optometrist about this when I see him.

[Andrash]

Judging from the picture, I'd say this is a mild case of ocular anxietitis. ;)

[HealthAnxiety12]

Judging from the picture, I'd say this is a mild case of ocular anxietitis. ;)

I panicked for a split second and almost Googled "ocular anxietitis" before realizing what you meant. :blush: Thank you for the reassurance.

[Andrash]

I panicked for a split second and almost Googled "ocular anxietitis" before realizing what you meant. :blush: Thank you for the reassurance.

You naughty boy! Stay off that stuff, for God sake! :)

[penguin120]

It's not a problem with my glasses even though I only notice it when I'm wearing them.

I know you say that it's not a problem with your glasses, but I think it might be light reflecting or whatever {similar to lens flare}.
I guess I have no idea, but that was my first thought.

-penguin :D

[jill]

Hi hun :D:hugs:

Just looking at that picture with the little white dots, Mmm I had something similar the other night when on hear, BUT, you just have a few in your picture, what I call blast of white, I had that many I could not see the screen to type. I was trying to reply to a pm but finding it dame hard because these white blotches, SO, I went to bed. Zzzzzzzz

NOW MINE, ARE caused by Oooh can't spell this, aurers you know, the symptoms you can get in your vision with a migraine, BUT, I can get them without the headache, well by the time I got to bed the headache started coming on so I took some pain killers before it hit full force.

I don't get this often, but have had it a few times in the past.

Mine is defo MILD case of ocular anxietitis.



You pic looks similar, it will look the same if your put MORE white blast in it.

Mmmm could be a possibility :shrug:

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL XXX

[HealthAnxiety12]

I know you say that it's not a problem with your glasses, but I think it might be light reflecting or whatever {similar to lens flare}.
I guess I have no idea, but that was my first thought.

-penguin :D

I've considered this, but I never had it before I developed these other visual and eye symptoms so I don't think that it's related to my glasses. It could be, though. I might get contacts to see if the symptoms go away when I'm wearing them. I'll update this thread after my visit with the optometrist in a week.

@jill: Thank you for your insight and kindness. The light is constantly there so I don't think that it's being caused by a migraine, but I'm not sure.

[thekinginthenorth]

The first thing that I would recommend is to ask your doctor. I myself don't have that visual disturbance in specific, but I do have many others. Anxiety can manifest in very different ways, I once knew someone who had what he called "skipping vision" his vision would seem to freeze a frame for a second and then go back to normal. How scary is that? My point is that anxiety can create many type of symptoms. With a clear MRI and no problems found by an ophthalmologist you should be a happy camper.

[HealthAnxiety12]

The first thing that I would recommend is to ask your doctor. I myself don't have that visual disturbance in specific, but I do have many others. Anxiety can manifest in very different ways, I once knew someone who had what he called "skipping vision" his vision would seem to freeze a frame for a second and then go back to normal. How scary is that? My point is that anxiety can create many type of symptoms. With a clear MRI and no problems found by an ophthalmologist you should be a happy camper.

That does sound scary. I will definitely ask the optometrist when I see him. My theory is that anxiety has made my eyes more sensitive to light so that I'm noticing glare that I normally wouldn't have noticed. Hypervigilance probably plays a role as well. Has your vision improved at all within the past few days?

[Marietta08]

I was getting dark flashes and a couple of lighter ones over a year ago, I had my eyes tested and they were alright but the optician said it could be visual migraines. I was also getting lines on paper or spiral binding in notebooks jumping out at me but I didn't have any of the other visual migraine symptoms I've read about. The flashes went away but I do still get them occasionally. I also sometimes get things catching the corner of my eye, especially on the computer, like I think I see pictures moving out of the corner of my eye or occasionally in the supermarket the shelves catch my eye. And I get floaters sometimes (or maybe they're always there but sometimes I notice them more than others).

More recently I've been getting misty vision, things look a bit misty in certain lights or certain objects. I just had my eyes tested again on Monday and they were ok, the prescription hadn't changed (I'm mildly long sighted) but the optician said maybe the mistiness could be caused by my eyes being dry, so I've got some eye drops. I'm also noticing slight "fizziness" now, especially in low light. I think it could be because I've been concentrating so hard I'm now picking up on every little thing!

I did get freaked out in the past because light kept catching the corner of my eye but it was the light reflecting off my glasses, I think they had a smudge or mark on one lens. You said it's not a problem with your glasses but I just wondered if the light could be reflecting off them? :) I do also think anxiety has a lot to do with it! Hope everything is ok when you go to the opticians. :)

P.S. I just read your reply to someone else about light reflecting off your glasses. Sorry, I missed that post!

[jill]

Hi hun :D

There is this explanation ......

When your brain or body experiences stress, whether it's of a physical or psychological nature, it prepares for the fight or flight experience. The brain sends a message to the eyes to sharpen vision. If you were in real danger, this would help you see your enemy more clearly or find the best path to escape. Sometimes the message only goes to one eye and you have blurred vision. Sometimes the change is too dramatic or only occurs partially, causing spots and flashes. Increased blood flow to the eyes causes them to redden. Dilation of the pupils also causes visual sensitivity to light.

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL XXX

[HealthAnxiety12]

Thank you all for the reassurance and kind responses. I'm pretty sure that this is actually a problem related to my glasses that occurred with my other visual symptoms because I became hyperaware of every little abnormality in my vision. It seems like I'm seeing the whites of my eyes reflected in my lenses. I can even see my pores in certain lighting. My brain must have become so hypersensitive that I became unable to tune the reflection and glare out even though I normally wouldn't have paid it any attention. Has this happened to anyone here before? It's baffling.

[Marietta08]

Hi haligraphy, I think I've also become hyperaware with every little thing to do with my vision. I do notice reflections in my glasses sometimes. I can well imagine that that could be what's happening (seeing the whites of your eyes reflected) because sometimes when you're anxious you focus on things and then you can't tune them out. Hopefully the optometrist will be able to explain it. :)

Thanks for the explanation, jill. :)

[HealthAnxiety12]

I went to the doctor (he was actually an ophthalmologist), and he attributed all of my eye and visual symptoms to anxiety, hyperviligance, migraines, dry eyes and used glasses. He said that my eyes looked perfectly healthy. I'm going to have a visual field test in a few weeks so that I can reassure myself completely that my eyes are fine.

[Marietta08]

I'm glad to hear that the ophthalmologist said your eyes are healthy. :) It's such a relief when you hear that something is ok, after worrying for a long time. I think a lot of our symptoms must be caused by anxiety and hypervigilance.

The optician also told me that the mistiness I was seeing could be due to dry eyes. I haven't noticed it as much since I had my eyes tested, I think because I know it's ok. But I've been worrying about other things instead. I keep trying to tell myself that I've just had my eyes tested.