Health Question2

EagleH received good answers to her question... hoping I can get some input on this one.
Does anyone have episodes of little white lights in their vision? Are they fleeting? Are they large or the size of a pinhead? How about black spots or other objects, besides the floaters?

As always, a good idea to check with the eye doctor but I've heard a lot of menopausal women speak of this very thing.

I've had a visit with an optometrist and an opthamolgist, neither of which found anything wrong in the eyes. Next thought - is it my brain?

Yes, I've had it. It comes from low blood pressure. Oh and sometimes it has to do with the weather, like when we have foen winds, which happens in areas near mountain ranges. Do you live near a mountain range Gimster?
If you do some stretching and jogging in place, then drink a cup of coffee it'll go away.

Gimster, I get the flashing white spots that are like pin head sizes. They happen all at once, last a few minutes and gone! I also notice that my right eye gets blurred whenever I am out in the sunlight. I need to change glasses anyhow so will have that addressed.

Well, if you get an explanation for the white lights, please share. My dad's cataract surgeon told him (he asked him for me, because I the white really worries me) if they are intermittent and short lived, they are harmless. I don't believe it. I think there is cause, maybe not a danger but something to look into. So, if you don't mind asking someone in your part of the country, it will be greatly appreciated.

Gimster,
As soon as I find out anything, I'll be happy to share. You might try calling up something about eyes on the internet. There is info everywhere. Maybe Dr. Ross can tell you what to look for, hes' Dotsies husband and an eye specialist/doctor. Cured my painful nasty stye with one phone call.

The internet doesn't really give me much. What I've read suggests a visit to an opthamologist. Did that and got no answer... the guy didn't even act interested in what I had to say. This is peculiar, as it's like a white disc of light coming up from the lower right hand corner of my right eye. It comes up quickly, and disappears as quickly without the whole disc coming into vision. I also have the pinheads of light, sporadically, but not often. I've not been able to connect either with tired eyes, diet, etc.
If Dotsie would like to ask her hubby that would be great, because even though I've been told it's not a problem, I am still concerned. Thanks chatty.

gimster, hubby is next to me so I asked him.

Can you see a retinal specialist as a second opinion? It could be vitreo-retinal traction which in rare instances can be a forewarner of a serious retinal problem. Chances are this is not the case, but it should be checked out. There's a 95% chance that this is not the case, but a retinal specialist should see you.

Did the doctor dilate your eyes? Can you call him and ask if he checked for that?

Also, if you want to give more specifics, I'll read them to hubby again and we can go from there.

Yes, the doctor dilated my eyes. I will have to call tomorrow and ask about the vitreo-retinal traction. I've never heard of it, that's for sure.

Here's a crude illustration of what happens. Also, the circle of light is a bit bigger than the actual ones I experience... Let's say, I lay down on my left side and all is dark, eyes closed as I get ready to go to sleep. Instantaneously, the little white disc pops into my vision field. It's not from any particular direction at any time, but is always in the lower right portion of my right eye. It can pop in and pop out, staying in one spot, or it can travel - say it pops in just to the right of mid-eye, then travels to the outer corner, sometimes in an on/off progression. It is a circle for sure, with halo properties (as I tried to depict in the illustration). It only pops in for a fraction of a second, but can do it one, two or three times in one instance before quitting. There is no pattern to the appearances/disappearances, meaning it may or may not happen at any time. And, I can be anywhere and doing anything.

The little pinheads of light are throughout the eye, and in both left and right. They are sporadic, too, and I've found no pattern to them, either.

Boy, thank your hubby for the info, and thank you for being the go-between. I will start looking for a retinal specialist tomorrow... I'm a hypochondriac, if you haven't figured that out yet. And, my eyes and brain are the one things I do NOT want to loose! Ever! Take my hair instead!

The illustration is me looking out through my right eye.

I'll show this post to him this morning before he leaves for work and get back to you.

Ross thinks that going to a retinal specialist will be most helpful. The retina is definitely the site of your problem. Keep us posted.

I called the opth's office today and asked the question. The receptionist took the notes and said one of the nurses will be calling me tomorrow. She couldn't tell through the computer. I did ask if the dr. was a retina specialist. She said no, but that he has one on staff. So, we'll go from the phoncon tomorrow, forward.
Thank you and your husband so much, dotsie.
Can you ask him one more question for me? My mom has a dark spot about the size of 1/2 an English pea in both eyes. The dots are in the inside corners on the whites of her eyes, and she has to have her eyeballs just so for me to see them. They are a murky grey/brown. I'm just wondering what they could be, because they are so symmetrical in size, shape and location. Now, I'll stop bothering you with eyeball questions.
Thanks again...

Now, I'm freaking. Spoke with the nurse. They want me in their office first thing Sat. morn. The doc has surgery scheduled for tomorrow, so they had to make a special appt. for Sat.
Dotsie, I can't say thank you enough about getting me going. I was putting it off, trusting what everyone else had told me about the spots.
Even though I'm a bit worried, I'm really glad to be possibly getting some good answers.

I hope the end result will be good and normal, gimster. Whatever it takes...to get back to normal.

gimster, I read your post about your mom when Ross wasn't home and forgot to ask him. Sorry about that.

I just saw your other post about Saturday so now I'm wondering how you did. Please let me know. If you'd like, Ross can talk to you by phone.

Thank you Dots...
Here is what he said after he dilated my eyes and used a bright light to temporarily BLIND me...
"I see nothing to worry about." Guess what I did... I argued with him. He was telling me that I should consider these nagging white lights as floaters. I told him I have floaters, but they are the little brownish-grey wavy strings that seem to come and go. He said, "you're flashing lights are another kind of floater, as are the little black flashes." I still wanted to contest his knowledge, so I told him what I'd read about detached retinas. He countered with, "I had the flashing lights you describe when I was in second grade. I learned to ignore them, as you'll find your brain will do, too. I've been doing this for over twenty years, so trust me when I tell you that you have no need to worry at this time." Then he went on to say, "now, if a dark curtain or screen starts to cover your vision, or the white circles stay, call me. Otherwise, I'll see you next year."
I am so relieved that nothing is wrong, but I doubt that my brain will train itself to ignore the aliens in my eye. I'm checking to see if a neurologist will see me - maybe it IS my brain!!! OK, I know - we knew it was the whole while!!!

Gimster, I am smiling here because what we usually imagine it COULD be is normally far worse than what it actually is... I do the same exact thing...Happy your end results were okay.

thanks, gals...

anne, I didn't use a scanner. I used a graphics design software to create the images myself. Once created, I used the steps laid out in your computer question thread...
Remember, you are smarter than the equipment you are using...

gimster, glad to hear yo are okay. I will tell my husband what the doctor did and said.