I can’t see/focus on anything directly in front of me. It’s like a spot of bright washed out light. I can’t even focus on the letters under the tip of my pen. Peripheral vision is kind of swimming too, like a kolidoscope.
This has happened a few times before over the past couple of years and it’s really disturbing. I don’t have vision problems normally. I’ve never needed glasses - though lately I’m noticing my eyes don’t focus as quickly on objects within arms length.
But this… damn… seems like my left eye is better than my right… which is all wrong because I think my right is the dominant one.
No headache. No blow to the head.
I don’t get it. Could it be blood sugar? I had a hard workout this morning… :eek:
QuickSilver won’t see the extra “t” in that. I’d appreciate it if the rest of you would be so kind as to ignore it.
Seriously – this is one of those “drop everything and go to the eye doctor NOW” deals. If it’s nothing, good – but if it’s something, we’re talking about your vision.
Just in case the other posters haven’t gotten the point across:
GO TO A DOCTOR!
This could be not a “vision thing” per se, but a neurological thing - like a ministroke or something even worse.
Anytime the field of vision is suddenly impaired, you should be calling a loved one or a cab to get to the ER. (I suppose saying “don’t try to drive yourself” isn’t needed, but I’ll say it anyway. Don’t try to drive yourself.)
Sounds like a visual aura, which is sometimes a component of a migraine, though you can have this kind of migraine without the headache portion - as it was described to me, the migraine is confined to the retina in that instance. Does it start as a dot of light (like you’ve been looking at the sun/a camera flash), then slowly expand outwards as a ring, and become kind of rainbow-hued/kaleidoscope-appearing? I get those once a month or so lately, even had two in two days over the weekend. I ignore them now - well, more accurately I use them as cues for when I should take migraine meds - but that’s because I know what they are. You may not be experiencing the same thing.
Disclaimers: I do work for an ophthalmology department in a medical center, and I am a migraine sufferer, but I am not a nurse or doctor. This is not professional advice.
Does it look sorta like this? I get these occasionally…particularly when tired or stressed. They usually disappear withing 20 minutes or so, faster if I take ibuprophen. But, by all means, see a doctor.
Sounds like the visual disturbance common with migraine headaches. I got these for years without the associated headache, and couldn’t get a good diagnosis from an ophthalmologist. I finally got a name for it from a neurologist – migraine equivalent. I understand that that’s the old name for this symptom, but it works for me.
Eventually I started getting the headache component, and I’ve been on medication since. I agree that you should get to a doctor, but from your description I wouldn’t worry about your head exploding or your eyes falling out of their sockets.
I usually got this when I encountered dramatic increases in lighting – is it a sunny day where you are?
I am amused by the mantal image of [Ferret Herder** leaving the ferrets aside for a moment to herd QuickSilver to an good eye infirmary, and by the Sage Rat giving sage advice.
I hope the ferrets don’t all get lost in the meantime.
Yep - get thee to the eye-doctor ASAP, and do come back to give us all a reassuring update.
Yeah Danalan, it’s quite bright today and the office lights seem to be particularly annoying me. Tupug Anachi, it’s almost exactly like that. :eek:
Ferret Herder, that’s exactly what if feels like. As if somebody just stuck a camera flash in my face and pulled the trigger.
Thanks everyone. It’s a bit better now. Subsiding. I just had a sweet cup of coffee and that usually helps. Not sure if it’s the caffein dialating the blood vessels or the sugar rush (I was probably low on blood glucose because of the workout). By the way, IANADiabetic… but there is a late onset history in my family tree on both sides.
Okay… probably time for my 5 year workup. Whether I need it or not. Sigh… I hate doctor visits…
Another vote for ocular migraine. I’ve only had one once and it scared the hell out of me, but it passed without any further incident. Do mention it to your doctor, though.
Holy shit, Tupug, I’ve been having these for years. I’ve mentioned them to the doctor and he didn’t even know what they were. Thank you so much for linking to that – another mystery solved!
