Bright spot in vision when blinking

[emmalj0]

I'm currently under going tests for idiopathic intercranial hypertension due to routine eye exam showing swollen optic discs. Iv had brain mri, oct eye scan, eye ultrasound all normal apart from disc swelling. I'm just scared as iv now got this in my vision. It's left eye and I only see when looking at light surfaces, phone, pc etc. I don't think it's a floater. Iv got neurologist in 3 weeks eye clinic in five. I'm just panicking it's an eye tumour or brain tumour although iv had mri surely this would have picked up.

[acalhoun711]

Hi,

I have had the same thing off and on since Dec 5th. I have not seen a Dr as I am scared, but I have read a forum post with over 1000 posts and tons of people had it and no Dr could really figure it out and they were not too worried. Do you have migraines by any chance? I get migraines with aura. And I have had about 4-5 spells of this where it lasts all day off and on and then what is left is a darker spot that I have to blink super fast and look at a light surface (computer, phone, sky) to be able to see it. But on the days it acts up, I can see it pretty easily on the light surface. Anway, I keep thinking maybe it is a weird form of migraine. It appears to be more common than I would have thought although nobody has any answers. Please let me know how it is going for you. Goodluck!

[Rellie73]

I have had this for a few years too. I used to stress over it and research on the internet - but it doesn't really bother me any more. It lasts for around 20 minutes and only affects one eye at a time. I can go months and not get one and then I get a cluster for a few days. I remember reading on a Neuro type web site that a Dr had said it is a common enough thing but they can't pinpoint what causes it. I always assumed a type of migraine as I also get these in the more traditional format as well.
Good luck and am interested in what they find out.

[acalhoun711]

Thanks so much for your reply. I wonder if stress brings them on even more...especially with us having migraines. I just haven't found anything on the internet that says it is anything horrible lol. So I am going to try not to worry as well. Since this is a fairly new thing to me, I am constantly focusing on my vision and spots and flashes and colors all the time. It is always in my left eye and I always get my migraines on that side. Who knows. Thanks again for the reply. It always helps when other people have the same issues and know it is not a big deal. Thanks!

[countrygirl]

I am partially sighted with lifetime of severe eye problems so rather well informed!
I get retinal bleeds which I see as a flashing spot in my vision more obvious in lower light and it never ever moves as a floater would just stays in same place and looks like a perfectly round shape that flashes colours when i blink.
If this fits your symptom then its not an emergency but it would be sensible to see optician as soon as you can so they can look at your retina to make sure its okay other than a possible bleed.
Most retinal bleeds unless very large heal themselves in a few weeks.

[acalhoun711]

Interesting thought. I wonder what could cause a retinal bleed. I will not look lol. That sounds like mine, although I see it when looking at a light background on a computer, phone or sky. It is round is a flashy when I blink. I know I need to see an eye Dr, as I also get headaches on that side...current right now actually. I get left sided migraines and also left sided headaches in the winter. I am sure something isn't right in there, but I just don't want to find out lol. Thanks for the message.

[countrygirl]

Retinal bleeds heal up in a matter of a few weeks so if this is something you have been noticing for a long time then it aint a retirnal bleed! Sometimes it is not clear in a post if the symptom is new or is a long standing symptom.

Because of my severe eye problems I have had red flag syptoms drummed into me from a young age by eye doctors and rightly so but of course without all the information its hard to guess.

It's always better to err on side of caution with eyes but once you have had an eye exam if thats fine then everything is fine.

[Sparky16]

I've had those spots as well, particularly on awakening. I also sometimes see them when I'm outside at night. I've been seeing them pretty often lately, and I've also been under a lot of stress. I talked to my opthalmologist's office, and the triage nurse says it sounds like a migraine aura without the headache, which both I and my sister have a history of.

I used to also get this see through yellow spot in my vision on the left somtimes. If I looked at something blue, there would be a green spot. It was about the size if you held a dime held about six inches from your eye. Once it lasted a whole week. Man, that was an awful time. It would also appear when I was stressed or burning the candle at both ends. I used to call it "the idiot light" like those warning lights on your car, and joke that it came on to tell me when I was pushing myself too far.

[acalhoun711]

Thanks Sparky16. I forgot about the yellow light that has been going on as well lol. I get it when I look at my daughters purple-ish blue coat. I get the typical migraine with aura and I forgot to mention that I also get headaches...one sided with these lights. Just yesterday and today a new one came...it is a red line almost. A quick flash here and there out to the side and I can see the after image if I close my eyes. This is all making me crazy. On a side note, my father passed away unexpectedly in August and my brother just passed away from a brain tumor a few weeks ago. I own a business that isn't doing that well and my marriage isn't great right now, I am a mom of two small children as well so to say I am stressed is an understatement. I just wonder how much stress can bring this on. Maybe stress bringing on the migraines with weird visual auras instead of the regular? I also have anxiety, panic attacks depression, health anxiety and OCD....a side to note how sad my brain is lol. I just hate that my headache is always on the left as well as my visual problems :( I do know though, that my brother didn't have any of these symptoms so that makes me feel a little better on the tumor idea. Thanks again for everyones thoughts and letting me vent.

[emmalj0]

Went back eye clinic cannot see anything had Oct scan too all OK so I don't know what it is. Had brain mri before Xmas that was clear so I know iv not got tumour

[countrygirl]

If all those tests are clear then whatever it is wont do you any harm. It could be pure stress /anxiety - visual changes are on the long long list of physical symptoms of anxiety.

You can be very reassured that your symptom is nothing nasty in your brain or eyes:yesyes:

[Nicholebear]

I've had this for three years never saw a doctor and kinda learned to accept it but I haven't had it in a long long time probably at least six months so I think it may be a transient symptom or maybe even just a floater in the right place refracting light.

[anonandafraid]

Glad I found this thread, I'm currently getting this in my left eye. It seems to last 20 mins and has been in the same spot for the last few days. As one of the other commenters mentioned I seem to get them in one eye at a time (I've had a visual migraine before which was present in both eyes and is much different than this, the only similarity is they seem to last the same amount of time. Also as the other poster mentioned I can go weeks without one and then get a series of days where I'll notice it, mainly on white screens. I used to panic a lot about them, then after getting my eyes checked I was told there was nothing wrong, now I sort of accept it and only worry on occasion when my HA peaks.

[acalhoun711]

I am so glad to hear this from everyone. And it seems to be the same thing I am reading. A million tests and no answer and nothing is ever found. Also on other health related forums a lot of people are very similar to myself...hx anxiety, stress, migraines, sinus issues, some are on SSRIs ...I often wondered about that too. Either way, thank you all a million for your responses. It is seriously driving me insane and maybe now I can relax a bit.

[Nicholebear]

I am so glad to hear this from everyone. And it seems to be the same thing I am reading. A million tests and no answer and nothing is ever found. Also on other health related forums a lot of people are very similar to myself...hx anxiety, stress, migraines, sinus issues, some are on SSRIs ...I often wondered about that too. Either way, thank you all a million for your responses. It is seriously driving me insane and maybe now I can relax a bit.

I really think that it's a tiny floater that floats close to the surface of your eye, and the reason you see it when you blink is because in the half second you open your eye, the light from screens is concentrated as your eyelids are opening, sending a small beam of light through the floater, that lights up from reflecting the light. You may also be able to replicate this effect by squinting into your phone screen. That would also explain why it comes and goes, since floaters can drift around within your eye to different places. Hope this helps xx

[acalhoun711]

That is a good thought too. I get little flashes of light here and there and they come in clusters for a few weeks. Like little pin point dots of light all day. And then they will stop for a period of time. I am getting those now. Wonder if those are floaters catching the light? Who knows .I am sure I should just go to the eye Dr, but I don't want to :blush:

[Nathand91]

I also get these sometimes. It's kind of like a camera flash and it only normally happens in one eye for a few minutes then goes away. I didn't think they were so common so that's good to know. Personally I've had them for a few years and they only occur in a episodic nature, every few weeks or so. A doctor one suggested they could be similar to a optical migraine. Just with no headache, though I do commonly get migraines. Stress must pay some role considering we all seem to get them. Good luck in getting answers