# What's going on with my vision? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 25, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367 "2016-06-25T23:35:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/1 "2016-06-25T23:35:28Z")
You’re not my doctor, etc. etc. I’m merely wondering if anyone has experienced something similar. I’ve started noticing something a bit odd today. When looking straight ahead, there is a 1/4 semicircle in the lower left of… something. You know that afterimage burn you get after looking at bright lights? That is the closest I can describe it. It isn’t a floater - I’ve had those before, and this is nothing similar. If [this graph](http://mathbits.com/MathBits/StudentResources/GraphPaper/10x10.gif) represented your vision, with 0 being the center, imagine a thin curved line of afterimage burn running from -4 to -4. Any ideas what it might be? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/2 "2016-06-25T23:43:27Z")
[Ocular Migraine?](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Ocular+Migraine&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) ETA: I had one of these a few weeks ago. It was a very strange experience, that lasted around 20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/3 "2016-06-26T00:07:54Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > [Ocular Migraine?](https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Ocular+Migraine&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) > > ETA: > I had one of these a few weeks ago. It was a very strange experience, that lasted around 20 minutes. Interesting, I hadn’t considered that as a possibility. Unfortunately it looks like the symptoms should go away after 20-30 minutes, while mine have been going on for about 7 hours at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/4 "2016-06-26T00:37:44Z")
Likely a detached retina. Get thee to a doctor, quiclly. I haven’t seen anything out of my left eye since 2003. You may waste some money, but if it is a retinal problem speed is of the essence. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/5 "2016-06-26T02:07:46Z")
Do you see it in one eye or both eyes? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/6 "2016-06-26T02:52:00Z")
I’ve never heard of an ocular migraine that lasts 7 hours. On the other hand, I had a detached retina symptom recently that lasted only about 30 seconds. Scary as hell. See a doctor ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/7 "2016-06-26T02:56:51Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > Do you see it in one eye or both eyes? In only one eye. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/8 "2016-06-26T03:24:00Z")
If it is a retinal problem, it needs to be treated immediately (i.e. this hour) to prevent it from getting worse. Do you have an ophthalmologist? Call their emergency number and ask what to do. If you don’t have one, find one on Google or whatever, and call their emergency number and ask what to do. Alternatively, head to a local ER or urgent care place and have them take a look. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/9 "2016-06-26T03:25:14Z")
> [@liirogue](#): > > In only one eye. When I had the migraine, it was in both eyes, so yeah, this sounds like something you need to get checked out. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/10 "2016-06-26T07:12:40Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/11 "2016-06-26T07:13:43Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/12 "2016-06-26T07:21:04Z")
Let’s try this again. Ocular migraines (and I’ve had many) are a brain problem, not an eye problem, so they appear to be seen in both eyes, even if they’re closed. And they last 20-30 minutes, gradually expanding until they’re no longer visible. What you’re describing sounds like an eye problem. If it’s the beginning of a detached retina, it can be treated if found early. Get immediate medical help, if you haven’t already. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/13 "2016-06-26T07:52:14Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Let’s try this again. Ocular migraines (and I’ve had many) are a brain problem, not an eye problem, so they appear to be seen in both eyes, even if they’re closed. Agreed - actually, sometimes it’s more like ‘can’t tell which eye’ for ocular migraines, but the OP does appear to be describing something else. > [@](#): > > …And they last 20-30 minutes, gradually expanding until they’re no longer visible. Again, agreed - ocular migraines are conspicuously dynamic. As an aside, I find that I typically experience a sudden intense headache at the point when the expansion falls off the edge of my vision. The expanding sparkly ring is my cue to dose up with painkillers. > [@](#): > > What you’re describing sounds like an eye problem. If it’s the beginning of a detached retina, it can be treated if found early. Get immediate medical help, if you haven’t already. Yes. seek urgent medical advice, OP. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/14 "2016-06-26T15:13:22Z")
Woke up with it again this morning so I left a message with the emergency contact for my eye doctor. I will take your advice and head to the ER if I don’t hear back in the next hour or so. Thanks everyone!! ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/15 "2016-06-26T18:07:52Z")
Perhaps it’s a vitreous detachment rather than a retinal detachment, but in any case get to a doctor as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/16 "2016-06-26T20:58:49Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Perhaps it’s a vitreous detachment rather than a retinal detachment, but in any case get to a doctor as soon as possible. I had this a few years ago and thought it was a detached retina. I saw an eye doctor about it right away. It’s not as bad as a detached retina–we kept a close watch on it for a couple of weeks afterwards to see that it didn’t develop into a more serious problem. I still have a big floater in that one eye that I don’t notice most of the time, unless I look at some white space and there’s what looks like a huge spider or snarl of hair. ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-going-on-with-my-vision/758367/17 "2016-06-27T22:08:28Z")
Well the good news is it isn’t a detached retina. The bad news is it was essentially a stroke in my eye. One of the capillaries has been blocked and the surrounding tissue has lost blood supply. Doctor said there isn’t much that he can do, and the fuzziness may eventually go away.