light flashes

Just wanted to share a situation that happened to me recently in the hopes that it might help someone else.
About 10 days ago, I began to see bright light flashes in my right eye. It was pretty scary. After some coaching from some good friends, I finally saw an eye doctor today.
Here is the condition I have been dealing with.

Vitreous Detachment Defined
What is vitreous detachment?
Most of the eye's interior is filled with vitreous, a gel-like substance that helps the eye maintain a round shape. There are millions of fine fibers intertwined within the vitreous that are attached to the surface of the retina, the eye's light-sensitive tissue. As we age, the vitreous slowly shrinks, and these fine fibers pull on the retinal surface. Usually the fibers break, allowing the vitreous to separate and shrink from the retina. This is a vitreous detachment.

In most cases, a vitreous detachment, also known as a posterior vitreous detachment, is not sight-threatening and requires no treatment.


Risk Factors
Who is at risk for vitreous detachment?
A vitreous detachment is a common condition that usually affects people over age 50, and is very common after age 80. People who are nearsighted are also at increased risk. Those who have a vitreous detachment in one eye are likely to have one in the other, although it may not happen until years later.


Symptoms and Detection
What are the symptoms of vitreous detachment?
As the vitreous shrinks, it becomes somewhat stringy, and the strands can cast tiny shadows on the retina that you may notice as floaters, which appear as little "cobwebs" or specks that seem to float about in your field of vision. If you try to look at these shadows they appear to quickly dart out of the way.

One symptom of a vitreous detachment is a small but sudden increase in the number of new floaters. This increase in floaters may be accompanied by flashes of light (lightning streaks) in your peripheral, or side, vision. In most cases, either you will not notice a vitreous detachment, or you will find it merely annoying because of the increase in floaters.

How is vitreous detachment detected?
The only way to diagnose the cause of the problem is by a comprehensive dilated eye examination. If the vitreous detachment has led to a macular hole or detached retina, early treatment can help prevent loss of vision.


Treatment
How does vitreous detachment affect vision?
Although a vitreous detachment does not threaten sight, once in a while some of the vitreous fibers pull so hard on the retina that they create a macular hole to or lead to a retinal detachment. Both of these conditions are sight-threatening and should be treated immediately.

If left untreated, a macular hole or detached retina can lead to permanent vision loss in the affected eye. Those who experience a sudden increase in floaters or an increase in flashes of light in peripheral vision should have an eye care professional examine their eyes as soon as possible.

It is very important to seek medical attention for this asap.
If you are seeing flashes of light in your eyes.....See a Doctor. Better safe than sorry.

ps....Eye Consultants of CO in Conifer are awesome. They told my husband that the only real treatment for this was to not allow me to cook or clean for at least 6 months.

My dad said the main thing to avoid all these medical problems is Not to get old.







So I quit.

I used to say Put me in an empty room with white walls and I can amuse myself for hours.

Then one day it wasn't funny anymore.
I had been having white flashes for a while but was unaware of the warning signals.
One afternoon I was watching that movie where it starts out black and white but suddenly a rose is red.
Except it wasn't in my left eye.
Long story short, about a third of my left eye is blind spots and the vision is distorted so objects are taller and thinner.
If I'm looking at a Ford F150 and close my right eye the truck turns into a Ranger.

My brain has adapted to this for the most part but I always feel that I'm not really seeing with that eye.
Thank you Becky for alerting others to this danger!

Another good reason to take supplements. Eye Bright, billberry, lutien, etc. keep your eyes strong.

Becky wrote: ps....Eye Consultants of CO in Conifer are awesome. They told my husband that the only real treatment for this was to not allow me to cook or clean for at least 6 months.

rofllol Seriously, hope your ok!

I love Eye Consultants Dr. Scot is most wonderful.

I have severe dry eye and they help me out greatly not to mention the staff is very nice also.

I have had dry eyes since I was in 6th grade and they are the first to treat it not just tell me to use steroid drops which have many side affects.

Becky, I do not know about your problem but you are in good hands.

I will be fine. The eye heals itself but slowly. It is more annoying than anything. Capkazoo is right....it is not something to let go. Unchecked....you can have retinal detaqhment which can alter a take your site away. I do need to be a bit careful with activity for a bit. Probably shouldn't have played volleyball the other day but hey.....you only live once.
The flashes are getting less and less each day.
Sorry to hear about your issue CapKazoo. maybe our stories can prevent this from happening to someone else.
Mountaindollar....this was my first time there and I found EVERYONE there to be helpful, knowledgable and all had a great sense of humor. It felt like family the minute I walked in the door.

Becky....I went to my opthamologist with exactly the same symptoms. I would get flashes of light in my peripheral vision, and especially if I moved my head side to side. Sure had me scared, I also got twinkling lights that would start in a circle directly in my field of vision, then over 20-30 minutes gradually move off to the side, most annoying if trying to drive when it happens. The flashing lights were exactly what your doc diagnosed, the twinkling lights turned out to be ocular migraines. Neither is vision threatening, just annoying. But it is something to keep an eye on (pun intended) if anything changes.

Like has been said Don't worry it goes away in time (a couple of months)
Scared the crap out of me when it happened.
Was working and just finished and suddenly there it was. It looked like a small bug stuck in my eye . That nite the flashing became noticeable in the dark . Fear is not knowing what was goin on. Went to the Eye doc nxt day and he explained it all.
I had a slight tear -read as tare- very minor not as big as a vitrious detachment, and the 'bug' in my eye: just the blood stuck in between the viscous layers at the back of the eye from the tear. Interesting how you see like it is in front.
The flashing went away quick. I did try the billberry supplement cannot say either way if it helps there is no scientific proof yet.
But was told to keep the eyes from getting dry with regular drops. Not a bad idea anyway here .

Since then, 1 yr ago, a tiny blood splotch called floater is still there Doc says that takes forever to go away cause blood has no where to go, dissipate. the whole thing is usually a related to getting older or can happen when something impacts the eye dead on. More people have it in some mild form then not. They just don't notice it.
Hope you can relax now.