OT: Eye floaters and flashes of light

[Pugsy]

Thursday night I had my first real eye floater. I knew enough not to panic but it was really weird seeing the long green piece of seaweed that I couldn't grab hold of. Huge piece of seaweed. Anyhow I washed my eye to make sure that I didn't have something in it and of course I didn't. The green seaweed has broken up into much smaller less annoying bits and pieces. When it is dark I also see the flashes of light with eye movement. So far only one eye affected.
Doesn't really bother my vision now that the large hunk has broken up into small pieces.

So I have read up on floaters and flashes of light and know I need to have an eye exam to evaluate possible retina tearing.
I know that most of the times these floaters are just another "welcome to the aging process" but will get in to see about getting the eye exam with dilation.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this sort of thing happen. If no retina damage...is it possible that the floater and flashes of light will dissipate with time? What I found pretty much said once you have it...you got it but I didn't do any real extensive reading on it just yet.
I can still see the bits and pieces of seaweed and this morning still experienced the flashes of light. I don't see it being bad enough to have the floaters removed though. Just a minor annoyance at this point.

[chunkyfrog]

What is the problem with dilation?
I've had it several times; and it is no more than a nuisance. (time off work)
With proper sunglasses, I've been able to drive home every time, and I just nap until I'm comfortable again.
I've had floaters a couple of times--most recently because of age--they are nearly gone now.

[Pugsy]

I don't anticipate any problems with the dilation exam. I just have never had one.
I know that the dilation exam is necessary to evaluate the retina thoroughly. I only mentioned it so that people would not waste time telling me to get the dilation exam...save typing.

[mayondair]

Pugsy, you may want to get right on that exam, hubby had similar thing, his ophthalmologist wanted him ASAP. Maybe call your MD. It turned out OK, but they were worried about retina detaching.

[Julie]

Years ago I had little black floaters like specks in the corner of my (mostly) one eye, but no seaweed or anything like it that I remember. I was told the things would last for 1-2 months, but were just about gone before one was up... annoying, but otherwise completely benign... I don't remember having a specific test though - in fact, never saw the doctor, just talked to him, but knew that if anything unexpected happened to go for help.

[pats]

Thursday night I had my first real eye floater. I knew enough not to panic but it was really weird seeing the long green piece of seaweed that I couldn't grab hold of. Huge piece of seaweed. Anyhow I washed my eye to make sure that I didn't have something in it and of course I didn't. The green seaweed has broken up into much smaller less annoying bits and pieces. When it is dark I also see the flashes of light with eye movement. So far only one eye affected.
Doesn't really bother my vision now that the large hunk has broken up into small pieces.

So I have read up on floaters and flashes of light and know I need to have an eye exam to evaluate possible retina tearing.
I know that most of the times these floaters are just another "welcome to the aging process" but will get in to see about getting the eye exam with dilation.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this sort of thing happen. If no retina damage...is it possible that the floater and flashes of light will dissipate with time? What I found pretty much said once you have it...you got it but I didn't do any real extensive reading on it just yet.
I can still see the bits and pieces of seaweed and this morning still experienced the flashes of light. I don't see it being bad enough to have the floaters removed though. Just a minor annoyance at this point.

You should get that eye exam as soon as possible. Do not put it off.

I have had a couple of incidents of floaters. The first time, after examination of my eyes, I was sent home with a leaflet about floaters. I understand that is what normally happens. The second time, the ophthalmologist did find a very small retinal tear, and referred me to an on-call retina specialist, who treated it with a laser. According to what they told me, my retina tear had significant potential for getting bigger if untreated. They insisted on treating me that afternoon, within hours of the floater appearing.

The good news is that my floaters did fade a lot over a couple of weeks. I have got used to the slight, faint remnants.

[chunkyfrog]

I had no pain while being dilated--aside from enhanced sensitivity to light.
As long as the light level was not really bright, I was fine.
(aside from not being able to read for a couple hours of so.)

[purple]

Flashes of light can indicate a series problem with the retina, which should be treated quickly. I took a lady to a retina specialist a few months ago. As I was sitting there I spoke with other patients who said they had flashes of light, and when they asked were referred to the retina specialist, who did several procedures to save their sight.

The flashes of light can indicate a serious problem which will cause an individual to go blind.

My local Optometrist told me that he often recognizes Diabetes, at the stage where it is damaging a persons vision, and sends them to a GP for Diabetic Treatment, when the patient did not know they were a diabetic.

As I am a Diabetic, and have Medicare, I am to have a yearly exam of my eyes, which includes an incredible photo of the back my eyes. He points out things like floaters versus, versus like the last visit, some stuff that is not good, which my body would metabolize out of the back of my eye if I had enough water and exercise. He shows me the condition of my retina and the all important arteries/veins which would look different if I was into the kind of dreaded blindness which diabetics often develop from uncontrolled/high blood sugars.

The doc loves to talk and was telling me that the back of a persons eye is a part of the body which requires nearly the highest levels of O2 of any organ in the body. The one which uses more O2 is the Kidney, then the eye, then a tossup between the brain and heart.

He also told me to that I should start taking an eye vitamin that is recommended in the ARREDS 2 study, which will have its complete results released in 2013. The big national meeting of diabetic experts had felt so positive about the combination of stuff in this ARREDS 2 (not ARREDS 1) was so good for diabetic eyes that they broke off the blind of the study and released the recommendation early. Doc also said that if I took the ARREDS 2 vitamin (Bausch and Lomb, Preservision) I should stop taking my standard multivitamin-multi mineral as I would get took much Zinc, which might kill my liver.

Year and half ago he was advocating that I take Vitamin D3, as it is helpful to the human metabolism.

No, I do not get money for mentioning a product that only Bausch and Lomb makes, which costs me a lot of money.

Some of those I talked to in the waiting room at the retina specialists office said they wished they had heeded the warning of the flashes, or even better, had regularly gone to see a competent eye doctor. Now they had very limited vision.

Am I trying to scare you into going to a doc? YES. When an individual is either older, or has unusual health conditions there is a great deal that can be accomplished by pro-active health treatment that will perserve, improve quality of life. The attitude that I had as a young man that it will just go away is not going to work anymore.

If an individual has a health problem that one does not understand all about, then go to see the right kind of competent doc. Docs always tell me, even if it is a small annoyance and not part of more serious condition, then they will say, "No problem. Best you should ask.

Just like I wish I had sleep apnea treatment twenty years before I did. One of the things that is missing from all the public health care debate is that pro active treatment works best, and is cheaper for everyone.

Let us know what the eye doctor told you. You could save someone else the worry of what to do, and possibly their vision.

[tigrpal]

I have my pupils dilated at my eye exam every year. Drive a couple of miles home with the sunglasses they give me.

I am somewhat nearsighted especially in my left eye and because my eye is so football shaped my retina is stretched and somewhat twisted. Right now, no problem but eye dr. said if I ever see floaters that don't go away to call the on call dr. right away. If there is a retinal tear they can repair it with a laser. If the retina detaches, then surgery is needed.

[tac]

You are on the right track. Get in to see an eye specialist quickly to rule out any immediate problems. (One day, I say an Optometrist, Ophthamologist, and Retinal Specialist. Had 3 dilations, 3 exams and an injection in the eye ball.) I have been educated about daily assessments and symptoms. I do have floaters and have learned to ignore them most of the time. They come and go. Especially noticeable after an injection. Most of the time they are no big deal. Good luck!

[Roobin]

I've had extensive experience with floaters due to vitreous detachments. The vitreous humor is the sack of gel that fills the middle of your eyeball. It is very common for this sack to pull away from the back of your eyeball, especially in older people, and especially those who are nearsighted. In and of itself, there is nothing dangerous about this. HOWEVER, in the course of pulling away, it can tear the retina and THAT is very dangerous. YOU NEED TO GO TO AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST (not an optometrist) RIGHT AWAY. Of course, the retina can also detach on it's own, even without a vitreous detachment.....that, too, is VERY dangerous.

I've had vitreous detachments in both eyes. Each time it started with many flashes of light over the course of a few weeks (the vitreous sack was stating to pull away from the retina, which "complains" by causing the light flashes). During this period, I saw my ophthalmologist (retina specialist) several times so he could examine my retina and make sure it was not being damaged. When the vitreous finally detached, there was a dramatic display of lines and globs in my vision. What I was seeing was the stuff floating around in the middle of my eye: the shredded ends of the sack and swirls of blood (the blood was from a small blood vessel that popped as the vitreous tore away). It's an odd and kinda cool thing to realize you are seeing what's going on in the inside of your own eye! Anyway, my doctor told me most of this debris would settle and get re-absorbed into my eye. It did! But, years later, I still have a few globs that float around. Believe it or not, your brain simply ignores them (my doctor also said this would be the case, though it was hard to believe him at the time). If I am looking at a light background -- for example the sky -- that's when I'll tend to see them. Otherwise it is not a problem.

Don't risk your vision! Please talk to a professional rather than getting diagnosed by people on the internet!

[brucifer]

Hi Pugsy,

Sorry to hear that you had a sudden onset of floaters accompanied by flashes of light. I found an excellent article that discusses why you need to seek having an immediate eye examination: http://www.agingeye.net/visionbasics/fl ... oaters.php

These two paragraphs may be of particular interest to you:

"The reason why you are advised not to ignore symptoms of sudden increase in the number of floaters or flashes of light especially if accompanied by subjective reduction in vision (cloud or curtain in vision) is that these symptoms signify an acute posterior vitreous detachment. There could be an associated retinal tear which can lead to a retinal detachment. Therefore you should have an immediate eye examination to rule out any retinal involvement. A dilated fundus examination is required. Another examination will be performed after 4 to 6 weeks if the first examination is normal."

Approximately 15% patients with acute symptomatic posterior vitreous detachment (sudden increase in flashes, floaters or subjective vision reduction) have retinal tears. If there is an associated vitreous hemorrhage then the likelihood of finding a retinal hole increases to 70%. Another sign that increases the likelihood of finding a retinal tear is the presence of pigment in the anterior vitreous (called Shaffer's sign on slit lamp examination). Patients with posterior vitreous detachment with vitreous pigment granules or hemorrhage are 52 times more likely to have a retinal tear compared with those who have normal findings on vitreous examination."

Anyway, I hope your day gets better.

Bruce

[Slinky]

Yup, yup, see ophtholmalogist ASAP. My stepmother encountered similar, she waited for her usual annual eye exam since it was only 2 weeks from when she first encountered the flashes of light and floaters. The day before her appointment she bent over to pick up a napkin she dropped and lost all vision in that eye - the retina detached. Despite surgery she ended up legally blind in that eye.

When I encountered floaters and flashes of light my family doctor IMMEDIATELY called and referred me to the area's leading ophthalmologist who actually saw me yet that day at the end of the day as an add on. Fortunately for me, it was "just" floaters and nothing serious at that point and they have "improved" thru the years since.

[Sir NoddinOff]

THIS IS A BIG DEAL. Last summer, I had large golden outline floaters and crescent shaped flashes of brilliant light in my left eye if I moved my head quickly - all this suddenly on a Sunday afternoon. The flashes of bright light were very disturbing. I went to the ER that night, Sunday night and the doctor examined me and then suddenly said you need to see an eye doctor TONIGHT. He called all around Santa Cruz county at 8:00pm but where are you going to find an eye doctor that late. Anyway, he got me scheduled for an 8am appointment the next morning, saying there's a 24 hour window of safety with detached retinas. If the retina can't be reattached for whatever reason, you will be blind in that eye forever. After that 24 hours it gets progressively mores difficult to reattach them with a laser. So, the next morning I went in, after a dreadful night, and they examined my retina with a big machine and determined that a small edge of my retina had pulled up. This procedure is painless as is the detached retina. They said it wasn't big enough of a 'peel' to warrant a surgeon but they told me to rest quietly for a few days without moving my head, then come back. I did that, and saw the doctor again.... he said rest some more and come back in a week. I did that, then he said it appeared to be healing on its own; even tho there were still small flashes of light if I moved my head to fast. Plus there were huge floaters in my left eye. It took three months for my retina to reattach to the point I could exercise vigorously and I still get some floaters but not nearly as bad. I think you can sense the urgency of my post here... and I probably don't have to spell it out for you.

EDIT: SINCE PUGSY'S LAST POST WAS SEVERAL HOURS AGO, I'M PRAYING THAT SHE IS AT THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST'S OFFICE RIGHT NOW. GOD SPEED, PUGSY.

[Pugsy]

Thanks everyone.
I won't ignore this. My plan is to call my PCP Monday AM and see if he can get me into opthamologist quickly and if he can't I will at least find a local optometrist to get a preliminary exam to make sure about the retina.
Things aren't nearly as pronounced as they were Thursday evening. I will make sure it gets checked out though.
Some stuff I will wait on but this one I won't be putting off.
It was totally weird initially though. Large bright green seaweed looking thing in 3 D right in the middle of my vision. Now just small little flecks of green seen on the peripheral area. The flashes of light aren't all the time and mainly can only be seen when they do happen when it is dark outside. I had a couple of tiny little flashes early this morning when I first got up.
So it is hugely improved compared to Thursday night.

I don't see the need for emergency visit at this time. Should things change dramatically then I will do what is necessary.
If I can find a local optometrist open today when I go into town I will stop by to see if they can check things out. No one ever works on the weekend in this po dunk town though.

I am not alarmed. Flashes of light are tiny and much less frequent and the seaweed pieces are tiny now.