Flashes of Color/light In Vision Posted: 12-09-07 20:24pm
hello! first a little background. 32-year
old female. worn glasses since i was about
six. very nearsighted. also have an
astigmatism. in early spring of this year,
i went off my anti-depressant, celexa
(20mg). i went off slowly, but apparently
not slowly enough. after two months of
horrible side-effects/withdrawal, i had to
go back on (10mg this time).
right after i went back on, i got
headaches. i had a headache every day,
though not all day, for five weeks
straight. i even had my first migraine. i
think i've only had a few migraines since
then (2?) but the headaches have
dissipated, though i still get one (mild)
occasionally.
during some of these headaches, and also
before and after, i'd see this strip of
colored light flash in my vision.
eventually, the colored strip of light
would happen randomly for a second here
and there, without a headache present.
kinda looked like a prism of sorts, though
thin, and linear.
during the time of the daily headaches, i
went to my optometrist and had my eyes
checked. my prescription changed a little
and i got new glasses. other than that,
nothing out of the ordinary was noted,
even though i did mention the headaches
and color flashes. his guess was migraines
and kinda seemed dismissive.
the light flashes continued, though most
of the time, no headache was present.
i eventually went to an ophthalmologist.
my pupils were dilated and my eyes were
checked. i told them of my symptoms, but
the doc said it didn't sound exactly like
an ophthalmic migraine, and she'd never
heard of visions problems exactly like i
was having before. ugh. anywho, my
eyeballs were fine and they said they were
healthy. no retinal detachment or anything
like that.
the color flashes are a little different
now. they are more spots, rather than
lines. kinda like what you see after
having your picture taken with a flash. i
have them every day, for a split second
here and there, throughout the entire day.
my vision is not obstructed in any way.
it's just annoying. nothing seems to bring
them on and nothing seems to help. i see
them with or without my glasses on. i
believe they are in both eyes. i see them
more when looking at a computer screen, it
seems, but i see them in any circumstance.
there does seem to be a dull headache with
them sometimes, and my eyes feel strained,
but often, it's just the flashes of color
with no other symptoms present.
i'd say i've been experiencing this for
about 4-5 months now.
my next step, according to my doctor, is
to see a neurologist. i'm not looking
forward to that since it's likely to cost
me an arm and a leg. i just don't know
what they'd find either.
so, that's where i am right now. any
thoughts or advice would be greatly
appreciated. if i've put this in the wrong
forum, please feel free to move it.
thanks in advance.
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Jules
Supporter
Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Posts: 3757 Location: Merrie Englande, UK
Thanks: 78
Thanked:66
Posted: 12-10-07 16:27pm
Hello! I have had the same thing for many
years now and have come to ignore it. I
tend to see blue or pink flashes and also
the white lightning-like flashes in my
peripheral vision. I was checked out by
the top guys in the field because of a
family history of Retinitis Pigmentosa but
came back all clear. They said it was
probably linked to migraine.
I wouldn't worry if you've been checked
out and given the all clear. I think it's
often the case that once you notice
something such as these lights and you
worry about them, then you see them all
the more. I'm used to mine now and don't
get them so frequently.
Hope this helps!
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callisto9
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 5
Posted: 12-10-07 16:32pm
thanks for your response jules.
i tend to think if i pay them more
attention, i notice them more. i have been
getting really down about it lately, as
they are so frequent. i'd guess on any
given day, i have about 100 - 200 of them
flash across my vision.
i do tend to think a trip to the neuro
would be a waste of time, but i might have
the consultation anyway.
what's hard for me to grasp is why i have
them every day. throughout the entire day.
it's maddening! and, it's weird 'cause
they've changed a little. initially, it
was a line and now it's spots. ugh.
jules, how old are you? did anything
change in your life when you started
getting these flashes? or did they just
happen one day? i truly believe mine were
somehow caused by the change in my
medication, but i can't really be sure.
thanks again for your input. glad to know
i'm not alone!
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Monique07
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 1
I Have the Same Experience! Posted: 12-13-07 00:41am
Hi! Please contact me at my email add...
[email removed]. My name is Shalott, and I
am only 17 yrs old, but I am having the
same problems like you guys! I didn't
undergo any medication so I have no idea
what triggered it... It happens to me
randomly as well. Doubt it's a
psychological thing too... Pls. send me
reports about any progress. I'm really
scared right now... I haven't consulted
any physician either... The weird thing
with my case is that I encounter dizziness
when it happens and I sometimes vomit. The
headache doesn't leave me until I sleep
and relax my eyes! Pls. reply!
|
callisto9
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Nov 2007 Posts: 5
Re: I Have the Same Experience! Posted: 12-13-07 09:16am
Monique07
wrote:
Hi! Please contact me at my
email add... [email removed]. My name is
Shalott, and I am only 17 yrs old, but I
am having the same problems like you guys!
I didn't undergo any medication so I have
no idea what triggered it... It happens to
me randomly as well. Doubt it's a
psychological thing too... Pls. send me
reports about any progress. I'm really
scared right now... I haven't consulted
any physician either... The weird thing
with my case is that I encounter dizziness
when it happens and I sometimes vomit. The
headache doesn't leave me until I sleep
and relax my eyes! Pls.
reply!
right now i'm trying going to the chiro
for this. the next step would be the
neurologist. i'm wondering if mine came
from going off the medication and then
going back on. sadly, mine seems to be
getting worse. i don't know what i
can do to relieve this, but it's really
bothersome to work like this.
i think you can send me a private message
with your email address. the forums won't
let you post it on here.