I have had the same symptoms.... It is very scary it has been getting worse and i'm also looking for an answer if you want to call me to discuss email me and I will give you my number. I am 28 and i'm freeking out too! Same exact problems!!

Hi there! It sounds to me like you might be talking about what is called 'floaters' there is a lot of information about this on the internet.
Sincerely,
sandy

Thanks for the reply, I am positive they are not floaters I believe I have mild retinal detachement - its gotten worse and i'm going to a doctor again tomorrow.

I was doing some medical research and happened across your remarks. Do these flashes preceed a headache? Reason I am asking is that I have what is called opthalmic migraines. Basically they are migraines that are preceded by opthalmic aura. Sometimes is flashing lights, sometimes is distorted vision. I even went blind in one eye for 20 minutes. It will not hurt your eyes but can be pretty frightening if you have never experienced before. Sometimes you get the migraine afterward and sometimes not. What does you ophthalmologist say?

Here is an exert from Webmd.Com
go there and do a search on migraines for more info.
Also, I am a nurse too and webmd is very good site for getting things in layman's terminology. Read below and see what you think.


"a migraine aura may occur within 30 minutes before a migraine begins. Auras typically involve visual disturbances such as blind spots, wavy lines, or flashing lights, or tingling in your hands. Less commonly, aura causes numbness in your arms, shoulders, or face, problems putting the right words in order, or weakness on one side of your body."

Sorry I havent been on in a long time....Ive went to 4 doctors.....Neurologist, optomologist, a neuroptomologist(only two in my state), and a retinal specialist....Everything was fine with my retina, the optoneurologist says a shadow could be being cast on my retina or im seeing molecular cell fluids crossing the paths of my eyes...He said my brain is just noticing it more since ive seen them now and the best way to get rid of them is to ignore them and do things to take my mind off it.....He also said that it couldnt be an optic migrane because I see the flahing dot all the time and in migrane youll only ee them for around 30 minute to an hour and then it will go away.....I know for sure its not floaters because I have those too and I know what they look like.....My physician says they could be caused by streess and anxiety also, which is why im switching schools to lower my stresss......That about all they can do.....If u guy find anything else out or how to make these things go down a bit please tell me
thanks,
travis

o yea and pfornal, I do get headeaches a lot but its usually from my allergies, and once your migrane goes away do u still see the flashing dots or lights moving around? Cuz mine are 24/7

No, only just prior to a migraine. Hope you find out what it is. If I hear of anything, I will let you know. I do some research from time to time so maybe something will come up. Good luck.

Also, you did say you have been to a neurologist, right?

Nevermind, I see you have been to a neuro-ophthalmologist. The only other thing I could recommend is a teaching institution like duke university or johns hopkins or someplace like that. Maybe they have more info. Again, I will let you know if I run across anything.

Yea ive been to a neurologist and he says everythings fine cuzi had a brain scan too and I had no tumors or anything

I have not had any improvement with this, it happens quite often. I have one correlation that might have something to do with this, it started when I started going to a climbing gym. Does anyone think that possibly the huge amount of chalk in the air could be effecting my eye? Its reaching far but i'm out of ideas?

Hi, I just have some thoughts that might be of interest to you.
Do the dots move? Could they be described as looking like a swarm of small insects (the movement pattern)?
If so, i'm thinking that you may be seeing the white blood cells in your retinal circulation. This has an appearance similar to what you have described. It happens when white blood cells pass through your capillaries - the light can be seen through the wbcs, hence they appear as bright spots in contrast to the darkness when red blood cells are passing through. If this is the case it's totally normal to see these, especially on the backgrounds you've described.
Try this experiment....
Look at a blue sky/white paper (whatever is convenient) and look at the rate of movement.
Now do a few minutes of physical activity (enough to raise your heart rate and increase the rate of blood flow)
look at the same background.
If the spots are moving faster they are likely white blood cells.

Just a thought - another theory (hope it helps)
take care.
T.

Yes they do...Thank you..But I dont know how to stop seeing them....Since ive been focusing on other stuff theyve gone more and more away....Is there anything to get rid of them? And they do move and they are like a swarm of insects thanks

Hello travis. I have been back and forth trying to figure out the swilring bright specks for quite some time.

Yes they are the blood cells you see. I have science articles explaining the specifics.

I noticed them first when looking at the sky one day. I was trying to see them because when I was having another vision issue online I saw a post of someone explaining how to see them.I then started trying to see if I saw them in other parts of the sky- hazy skies like a fog are the worst. Then I see them on white walls and white pc screens and even the pavement.. Or white or grey cars in front of me. They suck. I do notice when my mind is busy I do not see them until I think about it. They say our eyes normally are trained to not focus on them because there is always something more important we are focusing on. But when we pay attention to it when we see it and then see if we see it again and our eyes learn they are supposed to focus on them like everything else. No they are not floaters or flashes. I am glad you had doc appointments as those are always necessary for a rested mind when you are worried. I just want you to know if you need to talk about it email me. We need to try our hardest to ignore them and hopefully our eyes will learn that it is not something important to focus on anymore. I understand how frustrating it can be. I know when I sneeze or cough hard in a white room they dart all over like bright lit flies. Just try to train your eyes that they are not something you want them to focus on by not focusing on them. I wish I never read the post online months ago on how to see them because it now has caused me so much grief and irritation.
Di

I just experienced this for the first time (or the first time I noticed them) today. Is there a name for this and are there articles online that explain it? It does tend to be bothersome...It is almost like mini shooting stars (but clear) going in all directions.

Thanks di...Sorry I havent been on much as ive been trying not to think about them...I noticed them when I was fishing one day and we werent catching anything so I was taking a nap and saw them in the sky...I wish I never went that day cuz now I see these little all the time....O well they do get better once u dnt focus on them but its hard not to...Iship I havent found many articles on line...I found that if u look for whatever this is called youll just freak yourself out by finding actual diseases that you dont have...If u need to ask a question jsut email me or reply

Hi travis, im experiencing the same sparkles when I see bright surfaces like the sky or windows at day. But seems theres maybe others that see them.
Your sparkles are in one or both eyes?
Do these sparkles have in your case a special location in your eye, like at side or down the eye etc?
What is the duration after seeing them say in the sky?
Do you seem em whith your eyes closed?

Hey,
i have the exact same problem. I started seeing the "sparkles" when I was 18 (and am now 21). I've been to a neurologist, eye doc, and several other doctors because I have had other symptoms that came along with it. I was freaking out because when it first started I thought it was a brain tumor or something. However, I do have other symptoms that go along with it, and which all started at the same time the "sparkles" started - hair thinning, ringing of ears, vision worsening, feeling of off-balance, and floaters. I've had an mri, mra, eeg, and many lab tests and everything came back normal, except for "unidentified white matter" in my brain in the mri. The only explanation the doctors can give me is that my anxiety/stress could be causing the hair loss. I have been known to get anxiety attacks in the past. Does anyone have any advise? Thanks.

Oh, I also see "lightning flashes" every time I go running and my foot hits the ground. Upon impact I get a terrible pound in my head and see "lightning" flash in my peripheral vision.

Aj, are the "lightning" flashes like what could be fluid being pushed around in your eye and moved around...If not could u explain to me in detail? Becaues thats the only thing I could come up with...I think we're just focusing too much on whats really there and what other people ignore...Do u have bad allergies and ear infections a lot by any chance? I was just wondering because I think thats why my ears ring....Also if u have allergy shots, my allergist said that a side affect of the shots has been known to be ringning of the ears...I never feel off balance and I noticed a slight vision change in my right eye but the doctor said it could be from adolescence because im only 16...I alwayas see floaters....And have u ever heard of usher disease? I dont wanna freak you out but I just wanted to know if uve been tested for that...Because I dont know how u do and ive been to all those doctors that u have and I figured they would have caught it if I did....Did the doctors say anything about the ringing of the ears and feeling off balance?

One day when I was pregnant in 2002, I stood up quickly and saw those streaming white "fireworks" so prominantly that I couldn't see anything else. It calmed down but ever since then I see them in a much more "faded" view. They never totally went away, I just don't notice as much.

So scary not to have diagnosis nor explanation, but I guess you just gradually get used to it. :?

I'm going to look into the white blood cell theory. Maybe it will help.