Seeing flashes of light, is it medical?

Several months back I started seeing flashes of light. I went to the eye doctor to get an eye examine, for new lenses... I hadn't mentioned this to her...she then ask me if I was seeing flashes of light ...... I told her yes, and ask her why she never answered.. just laughed......I tried to find out what this could be. I haven't found any info on this yet....I would like to know what this is.....Is there anyone who has had the same thing happen or if any know what this could mean please respond.

There is quite possibly a medical explanation for the flashes you see. Flashes also get more common as we age, and floaters tend to appear in early adulthood. The flashes can also be a sign of retinal problems. Might be worth your while to find out what they are for sure. A laugh from a doctor isn't much of an explanation.

Light Flashes may be seen in conjunction with floaters, or may occur separately. Unlike floaters, light flashes (photopsias) are typically perceived in subdued lighting or even total darkness. Photopsias range from minimal light twinkles to flashes that are bright enough to suggest a neon sign or camera flash.

Above from:
www.texasretina.com...

Also see:
www.allaboutvision.com...
www.charles-retina.com...

They could even be cosmic rays :
physicsweb.org...

Previous similar thread: www.belowtopsecret.com...

I was going to mention the Photopsia issue. You might want to go back and demand that she give you an explanation.. of course, maybe she laughed because she didn't know herself (if that's the case, go to another opthamologist).

MK

Thanks RedBalloon

Sounds like this is the problem, sometimes it is slight and other times bright as a camera flash. Thanks for the link.

Info and links are fine but nothing is a substitute for a physician. Make an appointment. Right now it's guesswork, the doctor will be able to put your mind at ease or find the problem.

MKULTRA
Thanks!

I will probably visit my MD, this woman should have answered my question.

intrepid

I plan to see a doctor. I don't think it is serious. No one in my family has eye disease.

My guess is you had an occular migraines, let me know if I am correct. Make sure the MD you see is a board certified opthamologist though. Best of luck and health -Michelle

I have seen those ever since i was a kid. To me they show in different colors, sometimes they are blue, light blue, greenish, white, or red. The red is rare for me to see. I have gone to several doctors in the past, they have done tests and found nothing wrong. One opthamologist did tell me that sometimes what happens is that dust particles in your retina catch light in between your eye and the dust particle, but when i told him that i can see these at night too, or in total darkness, not only in daylight, he did not say anything else, i guess he didn't know what it was.

Another thing i see when i close my eyes to sleep is colors, blue, green, purple, and some red, (never seen the hue and brightness of these colors in real life) making symmetric patterns. Most of the time they start from in between my eyebrows, and go outwards in a circle, first one color then another, and another, they keep cycling each other, at other times these colors make other symmetric patterns, half a circle, a spiral, etc.

I have never found a doctor that could explain what could cause this, and imo it is not a medical problem, as i said after all the tests i had gone through no doctor thought it was anything serious and could not really give any explanation as to what is the cause.

Have you noticed anything else after you started seeing these that you never saw before?
Do you remember what you were doing when you started seeing these?



[edit on 21-9-2004 by Muaddib]

Do not forget that those lights are created in your brain, so something wrong in your brain could be the cause.

Originally posted by ms_Bhavn
Several months back I started seeing flashes of light. I went to the eye doctor to get an eye examine, for new lenses... I hadn't mentioned this to her...she then ask me if I was seeing flashes of light ...... I told her yes, and ask her why she never answered.. just laughed......I tried to find out what this could be. I haven't found any info on this yet....I would like to know what this is.....Is there anyone who has had the same thing happen or if any know what this could mean please respond.

Hello
Its against the medical law. The doctor is suppose to tell what and why is happening, if she already knows the symptoms without you telling her. You have a right to ask. If she can tell you the symptoms, light flashes, she also knows the reason. And not even the cure she told you? Smile was an escape, it doesnt mean she dont know about it. Rare posiblity is, you might be a lab mouse of hers.
Go ask her firmly.
Good wishes.

[Edited on 22-9-2004 by plasmamorph]

A biiiiiig thumbs down for the doctor. How incredibly helpful she was.

Anyway, my mother has had that problem, or what I'm assuming is or is at least similar to your problem. She asked about it and the doctor said that it possibly be light um . . . seaping in through the side of the eyeball. It can, apparently, be an extremely bad sign. I don't know anything else, but I agree that you should definitely get it checked, not to mention find a competent doctor who won't laugh in your phase for asking a very good question.

'Luck to ya.

hmm
We are talking to a dead person. I think the flashes of light might have caused the death.
oops may be not dead,
the thread-maker might have forgotten to come here. Memory loss due to flashes.
oops may be not the memory loss,
I hope the thread-maker comes here and read our posts, that might prove helpful to her.
Good wishes, see you.

I'm almost 48 and have had similar incidents for the last 5-8
years maybe. What I see is with both eyes and in my direct
line of vision straight ahead, as well as peripheral vision looking
side to side.

I see what looks like little pieces of glitter in silver and gold shiny
colors. They move slowly about like they are in a fluid. I see
no flashes and am able to see everything else. The incidents
are transient and last at the most for about 3 minutes.

Fortunately I rarely get headaches and had 20-20 vision until
a couple years ago when I began wearing reading glasses.

I've read up on floaters, streaks, shadows, and other visual phenomena and what I see doesn't fit the bill.

At first I thought these could be transient flashbacks from prior
drug experimentation, but I doubt it as I was not a heavy dabbler.

I also occasionally get ringing in my ears. Hearing loss in latter years
runs in my family, and my sister has chronic migraines, and my mother
recently told me she has these same lights. She is diabetic and it may
be related to that.

My question in neurology forums on the internet was answered
by a neurologist who indicated that this probably has something
to do with the brain. He said if it became more frequent or was
accompanied by headaches, to see a neurologist.

I found the following Q&A at the Ohio Lions Research website:

"Q. Every once-in-a-while I see a type of kaleidoscope effect of moving streaks of light that temporarily block-out my vision. Sometimes it is directly in front and at other times it is off to the side. I see the patches of light with both eyes at the same time and even see the lights with my eyes closed. Otherwise my vision is 20/20. Any ideas?

Regarding your question about www.ohiolionseyeresearch.com... patches of light, we would recommend that you see a Neuro-ophthalmologist. Because you see the patches of light with both eyes at the same time means that the site of the effect is probably cortical in the brain. That the patches of light cover parts of your visual field is analogous to what are medically referred to as "scotomas." The most common cause of transitory scotomas made-up of so-called flashing lights (fortification phenomena) is migraines. Typically, migraines that cause scotomas are also associated with subsequent headaches, but not always. Migraines can also be associated with other symptoms including ringing in the ears, loss of balance, light headedness, sensitivity to lights and other body sensations. However, temporary scotomas may be due to other, more serious, medical problems and this is why you really need to be evaluated by a Neuro-ophthalmologist; a medical doctor trained in both Ophthalmology and Neurology."

www.ohiolionseyeresearch.com...

Please share with us the results of your doctor visit, okay?

[Edited on 10/3/04 by aWoman]