Flashes in vision, tears in retina

[vtmarmot]

For about two months, I'd noticed flashes going across the bottom of my right eye, especially at night. I got in to see an ophthalmologist on short notice (a stroke of luck) who also happens to be a retinal specialist (another stroke of luck). He said I was about a week or two from a detached retina and that I needed laser surgery. He just happened to have some time right then (third stroke of luck) so if I cared to sign the release, he'd fix me right up.

Well, I sat through about 25 minutes of something about as much fun as two root canals. However, there was little pain afterward and not even a temporary loss of vision other than the short-term effects of the bright light. Here a week later, I got a clean bill of health. I should be good for a long time.

I asked if shooting was a factor, and he said no (I don't shoot the really hard kickers), and that none of my medications were implicated. He said it was just age (I'm 63).

So, the moral of the story is, if you get flashes around the edges of your vision, get it checked out right away or you could have serious problems.

 

[John Kielly]

There are two possibilities when you get flashes:

(1) An impending or detached retina. If detachment has already occurred, then the flashes will be accompanied by an area where your vision is blacked out, as if you had put a card over part of your eye. A detached retina is nasty, so I've been told & requires immediate professional attention.

(2) The more common cause is what's generally called an eye gel collapse, when the bladder holding the vitreous humor in your eyeball tears. That tear can cause a detached retina in something like 15% of cases, but mostly it leaves you with a temporary inconvenience to your vision.

I've had a gel collapse in both eyes now, albeit neither detached the retina.

It's worthwhile doing a Google search on eye gel collapse to see what you might be up against in the future.

 

[rkittine]

I had the flashes one dark morning really bad (was 64 at the time) and went to the eye doctor and fortunately did not have a detached retina. My significant other wanted eye surgery and had it in one eye very successfully, but they would not operate on her other eye until the large floater she had went away. As it started to move they found a tear in the retina and she had what I believe is called a vitrectamy. In any case, she was a trooper. Three needles in the eye, one to remove all the fluid (taking the floater out with it) one, to view (fiber optics) while the third did the repair to the retina. Then the eye was filled with gas. With your head down, the gas bubble goes against the retina and keeps it dry while it is healing. As the fluid regenerates, the gas is slowly absorbed. For 8 day (some have to go as long as 14 or more, 24 hours per day, she was head straight down. Did everything that way. Ate, bathed, slept, sat, all in special equipment we were able to rent. No eye movement for the first two days and then could read, use her tablet and watch TV via a mirror set up.

I might have just bought myself a patch. The good news is all healed, a new lens will go in, in about 2 months and back to 20/20 like the other eye.

I have too many hobbies that require site to not take my eyes seriously.

Bob