# weird vision issues



## lypeaches (Dec 3, 2008)

Hi Folks,

Yes, I know, go check it out with a doctor, and yes, I do have an appointment next week, but wondering if any of you have had, or have any knowledge of this issue?

This has happened twice so far.. in the evening, when I go from a dark/dim room to a brightly lit room, I get these crescent shaped blurry parts in my vision. It's like everything I look at has a blurry eyebrow. When I look in the mirror, while it's happening, it appears that the bottom portion of my pupils are slightly flattened. And then, after awhile (about 20 minutes) it goes away. 

Yep, I'm 43, and my vision has been going south...it's time for a new prescription for sure, as I'm having to wear my reading glasses more and more. But these blurry episodes sort of have me freaked out.


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## SamanthaNY (Dec 3, 2008)

I don't know what that could be, but I think you're right to be freaked out. It's not uncommon for older eyes to experience night myopia - but as far as I know it should be uniform over the eye. The only thing I can relate in terms of a (slightly) similar experience is when I saw a shadow when I closed my eyes - they were worried I had a detached retina, which can be extremely serious. 

I'm glad you have an appointment, but I wonder if you could call the doctor and explain this problem over the phone - just in case this is something that needs to be immediately addressed... they'd be the best judge, ya know?

I hope it's nothing - but -if there's anything worth being a 'nervous mother' about - eyesight would be a good one.


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## lypeaches (Dec 3, 2008)

Well, actually, when it first happened, I called my dad, who's a dentist, just to see if he though it was something urgent, as in, get your ass to a hospital now, urgent. Not. I do have an appointment with my regular MD tomorrow, so I'll start with him. I'm a self pay patient, so don't want to go crazy with the specialists and tests, until I know it's needed. So, MD first, and optician, see what they have to say. I feel fine, thankfully, and vision is fine now.


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## minerva (Dec 6, 2008)

What you are describing sounds to me like the aura I get when I get migraine headaches - a weird, blurry eyebrow around everything I see, which passes within 20 to 30 minutes, and ends in a terrible headache. I notice the aura first in bright light - saw, against the computer screen - but it gradually asserts itself everywhere. Is it possible that you've been experiencing mild migraines? 

Since, as you say, it passes, I would be less worried about it than if it were constant. And as you're a self-pay patient, going to an optometrist is a pretty reasonable gateway exam. They are much less expensive than full-fledged opthamologists. (With that said: if you have health insurance but not vision insurance, you should be able to convince your health insurance to cover a visit to an opthamologist as your symptoms are medical, not related to vision correction. I had uveitis - a nonspecific autoimmune-related inflammation of the eye - some years ago, and that treatment was covered by my medical insurance.) 

The optometrist can measure your eye pressure, evaluate your retina (make sure that they either dilate your pupils. My optometrist has a system that allows him to evaluate the retina without dilating pupils. I'm not sure what it's called. I pay a bit extra for it, but it spares me the inconvenience of going around sightless for a half-day. If they have one of those, go for it.) If something is seriously wrong (early stage glaucoma, some sort of retinopathy or retinal inflammation), they should catch it. 


I wish you luck. Eye issues are frightening, but remember that they are manageable. Good luck!


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## lypeaches (Dec 6, 2008)

Thanks Minerva for all your input...particularly the info on the optometrists.

I haven't a headache in I don't know how long....and never had a migraine. 

Anyway, I did see my GP, and he did check my eyes, so at least I know it's not a detached retina...no broken blood vessels etc. My stats were all good...well, have to wait for the blood test results this week for ALL of them, but blood pressure, heart rate, lungs, etc. were excellent. He did refer to me an opthamologist, but I'm going to wait for the bloodwork first, and do an optometrist first as well, since I need new glasses anyway.


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## KendraLee (Dec 6, 2008)

I agree with missaf I really would see an opthamologist. Has noone mentioned macular degeneration? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration#Signs, read the symptoms here to see if they match. You need to catch it early


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## lypeaches (Dec 7, 2008)

Hi Kendralee,

Yep, I did read about it...symptoms don't match. I've looked quite a bit online, and nothing seems to match. I found one message board where a couple people posted about the same thing, but they were old, and there was no follow up. Anyway, I'll keep working on this....


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## KendraLee (Dec 7, 2008)

I'm glad for you that it doesnt match. My Gram had it and there isnt really a cure and the treatments are an it might work and it might not kind of a thing. My well wishes are with you


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## BubbleButtBabe (Dec 7, 2008)

I get fuzzy what I call caterpillars in my vision from time to time. It is in the same place on both eyes. It is so bad at times I can not see what I am doing. I went to the Dr and he told me I was having eye migraines. He said some people stop having the full blown headaches and just get these fuzzy squiggle lines in the eyes. They have to be treated like a full blown migraine. Not a lot you can do for them but in time you will be able to tell when they are coming on..


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## BubbleButtBabe (Dec 8, 2008)

I don't take any type of meds for mine. I go to bed in a dark room with a cool cloth on my head until it passes,same as I do for a migraine. My cousin has the same thing happening to her and her ophthalmologist told her to do the same.


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## lypeaches (Dec 8, 2008)

wow..never heard of eye migraines before! Maybe that's it. It sounds similar to what you describe, but not really what I read about when I looked it up online. 

Anyway, bloodwork back tomorrow, and seeing optometrist tomorrow too for one of those fancy eye exams (I have to do that anyway as I need a new prescription for reading glasses). Then, if still no answers, on to the opthamoligist. 

I'll let you all know what I find out!


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## Miss Vickie (Dec 8, 2008)

Sometimes we have what are called floaters or "vitriol floaters" where remnants of cells left in the gooey part of the eye come into our field of vision. Here's a cool article about them. My son noticed them when he was four years old and was able to articulate them well enough to scare the hell out of us. We took him to an ophthalmologist and they diagnosed him. Apparently they're quite common.

Eye migraines is I think another way of saying you're having the aura of a migraine without the headache. The auras are usually stationary things you see that don't go away right away. You see them in both eyes and they can be anything from a crystal to a circle to lightening bolts to ... well there are lots of different things. I've had them a couple of times; once I saw a huge faceted crystal in the middle of my field of vision and the other time I saw one of those focusing circles like you see in the middle of a camera lens. The difference between them and floaters (that I've noticed personally) is that my peripheral vision when I have a migraine is impaired and you see them in both eyes, so even if you close one eye you see it in the other. When I've had floaters it was in one eye or another. Also, you notice floaters when looking at a blank wall whereas migraine auras you can see in front of you no matter what else you're trying to look at.

I'm glad you're getting followed up, peaches. You can never be too careful.


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## Theatrmuse/Kara (Dec 8, 2008)

I thought of floaters as the cause.........I really have had them off and on since childhood also! But better to be safe and rule out other stuff!
Keep us informed, Janine!
Hugs, Kara


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## lypeaches (Dec 9, 2008)

And the winner is......drumroll please.....

Bubblebuttbabe with Eye Migraines!!

Well, after having my eyeballs checked out 6 ways till Sunday...this is what the optometrist says. His opinion was, that unless they start to happen frequently, no need to worry. Apparently, once a person starts getting them, it's normal to get them about 4 times a year. We'll see. So, annoying and weird as they were, they're not something that causes permanent damage. And my eyes are in great shape, and I have some groovy new reading glasses. 

So, for at least for the time being, I guess that's it! It is sort of nice to have the thumbs up from the doctor though on my general health. I've put off a check up for way too long.


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## BubbleButtBabe (Dec 9, 2008)

I am glad to hear you found out what it was and so very glad you are in good health!!!!

Like I said after a few of them you will realize when one is coming on..Mine starts in a corner of my vision,I see a tiny squiggly line and I know what is coming so I prepare myself for them..The worse one I ever had was when I was driving,it got right in the middle of my vision and I had to pull over and park my car until it stopped...Took about 30 minutes before I could see at all. Strange thing about mine is when I get them they come in clusters..I might have 10 a week and not have another for 2 to 3 years,then back they come the same way..Weird.


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## Miss Vickie (Dec 9, 2008)

Hey, at least you don't get the headaches with your migraines. Be thankful, peaches honey, 'cause those headaches will make you wanna die! I'm glad it's not something scary like a brain tumor or alien abduction or something.


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## MisticalMisty (Dec 9, 2008)

lypeaches said:


> Thanks Minerva for all your input...particularly the info on the optometrists.
> 
> I haven't a headache in I don't know how long....and never had a migraine.
> 
> Anyway, I did see my GP, and he did check my eyes, so at least I know it's not a detached retina...no broken blood vessels etc. My stats were all good...well, have to wait for the blood test results this week for ALL of them, but blood pressure, heart rate, lungs, etc. were excellent. He did refer to me an opthamologist, but I'm going to wait for the bloodwork first, and do an optometrist first as well, since I need new glasses anyway.



Just an FYI..opthamologist can write you a script for glasses.

It'll probably save you a couple hundred dollars!

ETA...HA..Gotta read the rest of the thread...sorry! but glad you got an answer


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## lypeaches (Dec 10, 2008)

Thanks everyone for all your input!! 

And MissVickie... I already feel like I've been abducted... so it would fit! lol


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## FlyGuy357 (Dec 17, 2008)

Please take a look at Scientific American, December 2008, letters, pages 15 and 16, "Aura of Mystery". This describes half of your symptoms. Presbiopia, the normal lack of the ability to focus at near distances is unfortunately, a normal side effect of aging. Loss of accomidation (focus, dark adaptation, and tracking) are not. Good luck with your eye exam but bring this up with your GP too.


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