Eye floaters, what do we know?

[Deschodt]

Freaky huh ? Well now you know... If you or John Walker have any clue as to what triggers them, I'm all ears... To me it's invariably been after staring at a computer screen - but I do that everyday and I don't get them more than a few times a year normally...

[Geronimo '74]

Ocular migraine. I have had it too before, many times.
Had it checked out by an eye doc.
As long as it is temporary and without headache, it is pretty harmles.
It covers half of my vision sometimes, so not handy while driving...

[GG Allin]

I've had something similar happen. Turns out, all I needed was a glass of water.

[john walker's workshop]

Learn to avoid staring at bright flashing lights, bright flickering things like mirror balls, flickering sunlight as you're driving past rows or trees of the like. I was in a bakery waiting for my coffee drink and happened to stare too long at the rotating pastry display which had a center column covered in little mirrored pieces, like a mirror ball, and I could feel it coming on.

[Jon B]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

For about the last 30 minutes or so have been having trouble seeing... Slowly moved to cover most of my field of view ...Full spectrum of color like a rainbow...

Did you notice if it only occurred in one eye, or in both?

An ocular or retinal migraine originates in the eye, so it will only affect the vision in one eye...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinal_migraine

A visual migraine, or scintillating scotoma, can produce the same visual aura but originates in the occipital cortex of the brain, and will affect the vision in both eyes. This is actually more common...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillating_scotoma

[Geronimo '74]

Originally Posted by GG Allin

I've had something similar happen. Turns out, all I needed was a glass of water.

I will try that next time.

[NY65912]

Yup, ocular migraine. I have had the 4 times. Blood vessel constriction. They resolve in about 20 min.

Weird experience however. Like looking thru shiny broken glass.

[masraum]

It sounds like you may have found the issue, but this is another possibility (albeit, more common in older folks), vitreous detachment.
https://nei.nih.gov/health/vitreous/vitreous

[jcommin]

A number of years ago , driving to Virginia to attend my son's HS graduation, I discovered I could not see peripherally out of my right eye. When I return back to Chicago (home) I went to my eye doctor. I had a torn retina. You don't take these lightly because you can go blind. I went to a retina specialist and was operated on the next day. That was about 6 years ago. I get an annual check-up ever since.
I have had floaters too. My eyesight is a weak link for me.

I'm glad you didn't ignore the symptoms.

[MBAtarga]

I've had one similar episode sitting in front of a computer screen about 5 years ago that freaked me out. Went to the optometrist as soon as I could get to see him that day. Of course the symptoms had gone by then, but it was scary.

[KevinTodd]

I get them from time to time, and they suck for sure, but they do pass. I remember actually being somewhat relieved when I found out they were a sort of migraine, rather than something possibly more serious.

[pwd72s]

I'd be more than willing to trade my age related eye problems for ocular migraines.

Age related Macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts...all mostly in the left eye. Treated currently with a series of shots in the eyeball for the macular degeneration, drops for the glaucoma, and cataracts not big enough yet to call for lens replacement surgery.

Still, all treatable...so thankful that medical science has advanced far enough for that.

Pisses me off tho...if anybody here is a pool player, you know how you just know whether a shot is a hit or a miss the moment the cue ball leaves the tip? Yeah, well...I can make a shot, knowing it's in...only to see I'm 1/2 diamond off. My pool game is in the tank.

[GG Allin]

Originally Posted by Geronimo '74

I will try that next time.

It had something to do with dehydration and the eye ball shrinking and causing stress on the optic never.

[Tobra]

Maybe dial back the caffeine. I have heard of ocular migraines but never knew what the symptoms are. Saw a patient a few weeks ago said they took low dose aspirin for it, which makes a lot more sense now.

[Jeff Hail]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

Ocular migraine with aura. No pain, just geometric shapes. Had a few over the years. Flashing lights, mirror balls, just don't look at things you know might start it going. If you start talking funny, could be a TIA.

Completely agree on this. My friend was at the Eye Doctor getting an exam for new glasses. He had this happen right in the Doctors office. Doctor thought Ocular migraine. Friend started getting queezy. Eye Doc happened to be inside the hospital. Walked friend over to emergency just in case. Ended up being a heart attack. Friend was a lucky man because he is one of those "its no big deal don't worry about it tough guys" Fortunately he lived to tell about it.


On the subject of eye floaters: I get small ones every couple of years. First time I noticed one I had woken in the middle of the night to take a leak. I'm standing over the toilet and out of the corner of my eye I swore I saw bug on the floor move. It startled me. I look down and nothing was there. A second later its drifting across my eye.
Hydration is important for eye health. When the fluid inside the eyeball lowers all sorts of weird stuff can happen. Eyes get blurry, sticky, ocular pressure changes to compensate for fluid loss, radical vision changes.

[ckcarr]

Don't know how old you are.

It's good to get eye changes checked out.

However, be prepared for dry eye, and all kinds of bizarre symptoms as you age.
Dry eye can cause sparkly, crackles around the perimeter of the field of vision, along with a bunch of other issues.

Then add in the floaters. I have a big one that looks like an amoeba. He comes around once in a while in my left eye. Hitting my head didn't help as it loosened up a bunch on that same eye too.

You may have to invest in expensive eye drops, like Refresh Optive, or other higher quality drops...

[RKDinOKC]

Getting treatment for retinopathy. That is where the blood vessels in the retina swell and leak. Where there is a leak the blood causes floaters. They are actually blood that blocks the light getting to your retina. At first the floaters were just little spots that looked like flies were in my vision. Had a vitrectomy where they remove the vitreous fluid next to the retina that has the blood in it and the vitreous fluid (or membrane) grows back.

At first the floaters would appear and look like spots with webs . Then after several minutes would explode, or dissipate into thousands of tiny tiny dots. putting a slight haze on my vision. Then seemed to disappear. Then as the bleeding got worse after I got up started to get a dark flow that would slowly move up across my vision. If I kept my head up it would move to the top of my vision (which is actually the bottom of your eye). After this I got the secon vitrectomy on that eye.

All this time I get monthly shots in each eye that helps to toughen and reduce the swelling of the blood vessels. The problem with the leaking besides the floaters is everywhere there is a leak new blood vesslels form. This blocks the visual cones reducing the resolution of your vision. Kinda like going from 1080 to 720 to just HD, then to SD, etc.

To help stop the the places that start bleeding are hit with a laser to cauterize them. I've had over 3000 spots lasered on each retina. After 5 they have to stop a second of your eye gets unbearably hot. The extra benefit is it is like spot welding my retina to the back of my eye so I never have to worry about detached retina.

The floaters also promote cataract growth. So, in the last 5 years I've had, Shot in each eye every month. 2 vitrectomy surgeries in each eye. over 3000 spots tasered in each eye, and cataract surgery in each eye and treatment to laser the scar tissue from the back of the new lenses.The good news is I am 20/25 now and only have to get checked for the shots every 6 months. Still have a few light floaters in my right eye, and a floater in my left eye that looks like an ameba, it is a chunk of scar tissue from the back of the cataract lens.

[A930Rocket]

Maybe the ocular migraine is what I get several times a year. It’s like too much light is getting in and there are sparkles going off.

The bad thing I get every so often is double vision. It’s like something clicks and it’s double vision. I’ve had to close an eye for a short period to see. Laying down with my eyes closed helps it to go away. Eye doc had no explanation.

[red-beard]

Holloway has a good eye surgeon if you need one.

[Deschodt]

Reviving this one - Any common triggers / cures for ocular migraines ?
I used to get those 3-4 times a year in my 30s, now (50) it's more like 2-3 times a month. Age ?
Eye-doc says all good, regular doc says harmless, but the increase in frequency is annoying... I'm starting to fear a career staring at a monitor is gonna come to an end !

they're generally only 10-15 minutes long with no pain but freaky..