Visual disturbance freaking me out!

[Renaemarti]

I have had a scary visual disturbance going on since this morning. I have a blackish bright spot in my right eye that flickers when I blink. I can still see it when I close my eye.. And it flashes between white and black when I blink my eye. Very hard to describe. It's only in my right eye. I am also dull pressure headache at the moment. I am in the middle of an intense brain tumor fear and this doesn't help. I have had tingling in my left side on and off. I had a clear ct scan and clear opthalmologist appt a month ago. This symptom is new and is totally freaking me out! Has anyone else had something like this?

[.Poppy.]

Hmmm. I doubt it's a brain tumor. It could be a migraine aura. Have you ever had migraines before? Other than that it could be something else with your eye.

I don't think it's necessarily worth a trip to the ER, though do try to keep an eye on it. It's probably too late now but is there any way you could call a doctor/eye doctor/after hours clinic? Even just for advice?

I'm NOT saying it's serious but it could ease your mind. I remember when I got a massive blind spot in my vision and was scared to death. I called my dad in a panic and he took me to the eye doctor because he had had a retinal tear himself (which was fully repaired!) and wanted to be sure it wasn't that. Turned out to be migraine aura. Scary since I'd never had one before despite a long history of migraine but saw a neurologist after and got the all clear. Our bodies are just funny sometimes.

Hope you get to feeling better.

[Lisssa]

Find a nuero opthamologist in your area. They are specialists with connection of neurology and opthamology and will know exactly what tests to run and explain to you what is occuring. Easier and wiser then running guesses.

[turboswag]

I have something like this except mine happen in both eyes and only last for a few seconds. Kind of like a weird after image effect (even though I haven't been looking at anything bright?). I got my eyes checked a few weeks ago and everything was fine, even had my retinas looked at which is reassuring. I think this could be a stress thing as I notice them when I worry about them and as soon as I calm down they go away. Possibly blood pressure related? I have no idea, but tell me if you find anything else out! So far mine have not caused any problems besides being annoying

[countrygirl]

Before you totally freak out and rush off to every neurologist you can find, what you are describing could just be a very tiny retinal bleed in your eye. I have severe sight problems and get retinal bleeds. My description of my retinal bleeds are as follows - a round area in eye that looks like a little black hole until you blink when it flashes different colours. You can still see it with your eyes shut and it does not move position.

You are advised to see an eye Dr ( whatever they call them in your country) so they can dilate your pupils and see the bleed so they can work out why it has happened. Most bleeds especially small and not in the macular will just heal up themselves over a couple of weeks without any treatment.

So yes you do need to get medical attention because they need to know why you have this symptom that could be a bleed in your retina but you don't need to worry about every neuro disease going.

[Renaemarti]

It doesn't actually show up unless I blink. And then it I can see it. And it's not there all the time, it comes and goes. It's very strange. Almost like I've looked at a bright light and then looked away.

[cattia]

I get this sometimes, it's an optical migraine x

[countrygirl]

So how often do you see it?

Visual migraines are commonly zigzag lines that move slowly accross vision or vision that looks like a broken mirror if you get my meaning but people do get all sorts of different things.

When I have a retinal bleed I cannot see it as long as I don't blink, its the blinking that shows it up or with eyes closed. If you are going days without seeing it then you don't have a retinal bleed.

Does it move around slightly in your vision as floaters can flash as well.

Can you go to the optician and get your eyes tested to rule out any eye connection?

[Renaemarti]

So how often do you see it?

Visual migraines are commonly zigzag lines that move slowly accross vision or vision that looks like a broken mirror if you get my meaning but people do get all sorts of different things.

When I have a retinal bleed I cannot see it as long as I don't blink, its the blinking that shows it up or with eyes closed. If you are going days without seeing it then you don't have a retinal bleed.

Does it move around slightly in your vision as floaters can flash as well.

Can you go to the optician and get your eyes tested to rule out any eye connection?

Since it showed up I've been seeing it off and on when I pay attention to it. It sounds like what you have been describing. Now I'm scared! What could be causing a retinal bleed?

[cattia]

My visual migraines tend to be lights like camera flash that I only see when I blink, just as you describe. These are followed by sinus pressure, feeling spaced out and woozy. Lasts about 20 minutes to half an hour. I have had my eyes checked by the Dr and optician and told they are ocular migraines. I only once have had the type with zig zag lines and during that one I lost my vision in one eye. They are not always accompanied by a headache.

[countrygirl]

Retinal bleeds can only be seen by an optician after your eyes have been dilated with drops or with very specialist retinal scans.

Even if this is a little retinal bleed there really is no need to panic about it, just get yourself an opticians appt , tell them your symptom so they know you need your eyes dilated and take it from there. This could all be nothing whatsoever to do with your retinas at all but only visiting an optician can tell you for definite.

As has been said if your symptom is followed by a headache or if the symptom last for say 20 mins then goes away totally for days or weeks at a time then it could be visual migraine. I have had this in the past and never get a headache and only had the zigzag vision for 15 mins and i can go years in between them.

It could also be nothing more than anxiety and your focusing on what you can see in your eyes that normally you don't even notice.

[Nadm]

I also got this 2 weeks ago. Yesterday I went to my ophthalmologist and they dilated my pupils and there was nothing wrong. But every time I blink I see a bright spot "afterimage" for a second. Very annoying. I hope it will go away!