Vision/ Eye health fears (floaters& flashes)

[breakingbadhabits]

I have noticed since my health anxiety started and my panic attacks became worse and worse, so has some of my other issues. Lately Ive noticed a big uptick in the amount of floaters I am having in my vision as well as some small flashes in my vision from time to time. This is really starting to worry me and Im beginning to have another panic attack that my vision is going to hell. last time I saw a eye doctor was about 2 years ago but at the time I was experiencing the same things but not as bad. I am going to schedule an appointment this week but I need to vent my fears before I have a full blown panic attack. I feel like I should be way too young to have to talk about this at 28 but I also didnt expect to be 1/3 grey and have shingles by now either.*

[Matilda_H]

Floaters and flashes happen to everyone, including myself and i'm 23. I also noticed what seemed to be an increase in floaters and flashes when my health anxiety started and I believe this is because health anxiety starts to make us hypersensitive to anything involving our bodies or how they work.

Your optician appointment should put your mind at ease.

[breakingbadhabits]

Floaters and flashes happen to everyone, including myself and i'm 23. I also noticed what seemed to be an increase in floaters and flashes when my health anxiety started and I believe this is because health anxiety starts to make us hypersensitive to anything involving our bodies or how they work.

Your optician appointment should put your mind at ease.

I'm quiet sure my anxiety makes it worse, and it settles me knowing I'm not alone. But it is scary since this isn't something I had or noticed until after I had a traumatic experience and triggered HA that has lasted me years since

[Matilda_H]

I'm quiet sure my anxiety makes it worse, and it settles me knowing I'm not alone. But it is scary since this isn't something I had or noticed until after I had a traumatic experience and triggered HA that has lasted me years since

That's the thing with the human mind, it tends to dwell on traumatic experiences and attach everything to them.

Watch a TV show or movie that you like and try de-stress. :)

[itiswhatitis]

I’ve been getting floaters and flashes for years. Sometimes it makes me anxious and I’ll go to the optician but I’ve always had the same reply. Very healthy eyes apart from being short sighted (because I’ve spent so much of my life in front of pc screens)
I don’t know how much time you spend on the pc or watching tv or on your phone but I notice if I spend a day in front of a screen a bit more, I notice the floaters more, especially if I look out the window into natural light. My floaters are always there but some days they’re a lot more noticeable and the flashes are worse those days too, so I try to limit my screen time (or sit further away) and drink water because I also noticed I’m more dehydrated those days.

[Limeslime]

Hi. I got this too! Especially if I look at the sky. Totally normal hun! And very much triggered by anxiety!

[breakingbadhabits]

Hi. I got this too! Especially if I look at the sky. Totally normal hun! And very much triggered by anxiety!

Thank you, knowing other people have the issue also helps! I too see it in the sky and sometimes water and snow

[Limeslime]

Thank you, knowing other people have the issue also helps! I too see it in the sky and sometimes water and snow

Oh yes I get it looking at snow too! It’s definitely normal though! I think when we have anxiety we just become hyper aware of it! This guy offers a pretty good explanation though....

https://www.quora.com/Do-most-people-have-eye-floaters-when-they-look-at-the-sky-or-other-bright-things

[Confetti]

I see all kinds of crap in the dark, I've gone through so many causes it could be from believing i'm going completely nuts ready for the asylum to having optic nerve damage, it hasn't got better or worse and I know psyche meds can do a lot of funky stuff to your vision so that's probably one ingredient, I also don't sleep much and stare at screens a lot. I hope to visit an eye person eventually when I feel up to it and see if I need anything to alleviate my eye discomfort and check whether I'm going blind or anything!