Seeing stars

[beccaroo]

Hello,
I'm really hoping somebody will be able to reassure me about this because i'm feeling quite scared and I don't want to worry my family.
Last night I went for a hard swim and when i was in the changing room i looked up and saw stars (bright lights dotting around) in front of my eyes - the sort i've heard you get if you hit your head. THey only lasted for about 3 seconds but they worried me because i hadn't hit my head at all.
I have seen stars before after doing a forward roll and landing heavily, although i never hit my head that time either.
I have been working long days recently and haven't really been eating as much as i should...and i don't normally excercise like i did in the pool, so i'm trying to put it down to that but i'm finding myself thinking it's something serious and getting worried.
I have read about floaters and wiggly dots when looking at bright skies on no more panic and i also get those, but these stars are different :(
Today i've been feeling light headed and have had strange sensations in my head which has made me worry more but i'm trying to be rational and blame them on anxiety!
Sorry to waffle on about this but I'm trying to nip it in the bud before it turns into a full on panic!
Thank you :)
Becca

[debs180]

hi Becca, the sensations in your head and the light headedness is because you are worrying about the stars in your eyes, the more you worry the more symptoms appear. As for the stars, i get this just as u decribed and ive not hit my head or anything either. I get lots of floaters anyway, but ive had the stars thing 3 times in the last 2 months and each time as been for no apparant reason. Please try not to worry, i think it is just one for those things, but as we all know with health anxiety anything out of the norm worrys us. Just thought id let u know i have had exactly the same and hopefully reassure you (for at least a while anyway)!!! take care, Debs. xx

[pigtailplaits]

I get this now and again too. Usually, when I in the bath for some reason-like I might shave my armpits and then when I look up I will see lots of bright stars flicker across my view and seem to float up and around the room. It is quite scary and it always makes me wonder if there is something wrong but I think its caused by low blood pressure. Mine too only lasts seconds but its enough to make me think woah what was that. I had a brain scan last year and there was nowt there so I bet you are fine too x

[IllegallyBlond]

Hi Becca. I know this may sound weird, but are you sure they aren't floaters in your eyes. When I'm in the shower or bath for awhile, I'll see them for a few seconds and then they go right away. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about hun. To me they look like sparkling little dots, that stream across my eyes.

:hugs:

[looking4answers]

Hi Becca,

From my experience this has nothing to do with hitting your head or going to pass out or anything. I have this from time to time and did some research on it along time ago. I have found its pretty much due to eye strain.

Sometimes when you look around to quickly the nerves in the eye get strained and causes this . Im pretty sure that is what it is and have had this often, I too used to worry about it but now I have come to grips with it and try to ignore it.

[Mich1111]

I get these when I have a panic attack, or am very tense. My vision gets overcome with them and my sight goes blurry - I panic that I'm going to pass out - I dont and when I calm myself down they disapear.

[sandramick]

hi pip
i see stars too occasionally used to scare me to death but i try not too let it now . it normally happens when im due on if i stand up quickly whilst coughing ! try not too worry
all the best
sandra
xxxxx:hugs:

[xfilme]

My dad gets the same. He calls it silent migranes as there is no pain involved, just weird visual disturbances. He's had them years and years and has nothing wrong with him. x

[MandySlade]

This can happen from low pressure and also from holding your breath or not breathing properly. I've had it happen a few times from coughing really hard and once from being lifted up and over someone's head really fast. It's common and typically doesn't mean anything. Unless it starts happening to you frequently, I really wouldn't worry about it. It -is- kinda scary though. The first couple times it happened to me I kinda freaked out. My guess is you were hyperventilating or just breathing real heavy for awhile during your swim.

[teez]

i can get this if ive been bending down then stand up really fast,,,the stars are pretty though,,,lol

[seeker]

If you are looking up a lot or straining your eyes (suchas shaving arm pits!), your eye muscles pull on the retina at the back of your eye and it is this that causes the stars. You can also get them from standing up too fast - this is caused by low blood pressure as you stand. If you are short sighted or have astigmatism you are more likely to experience this. it's nothing to worry about unless you see loads (as in obscuring your vison greatly) and they don't disapear ater a few minutes. I get them too!

[beccaroo]

Hi everyone.
Thanks so much for your answers. They really helped a lot and I stopped panicking about the stars after reading them and realising that other people get them.
I had almost forgotton about the stars but I've just had them again and yet again it set me off panicking.
I just had to take my dog to the vets and try to get her to stand up (she is a very big dog - 12 stone). I had to lift her rear end up and as i stood up i saw the stars again.
It was maybe only for 5 seconds but i immediately panicked.
Do you think there is a link to the stars and being hot/stressed? I was definately both of those things!
Sorry to bring this up again but the stars really freak me out. I don't know what to do for the best

[NeverRelaxed]

im going through something similar...Only i see stars, fuzz, "visual snow/static" constantly. Im due for a CT scan (just to be sure its nothing serious) and had my eyes examined(Normal)..My eye doctor and GP are stumped...But given my ten year history of migraine with aura I believe that I have a persistent visual aura without infraction.

I just want to add that its a benign peculiarity. And the type of thing you describe does indeed happen to everyone id imagine.