Weird vison event

[Mean_Kitty]

Yesterday I went to IKEA, been there several times without any vision issues in the past.  After walking around for a few minutes I notice that my central vision was a little whited out, not bad but enough to be irritating.  Then I notice a ziggyity rainbow in my peripheral vision.  It went away as soon as I walked out of IKEA.  I saw my optho today and explained what happened and he said it was caused by a circulation problem to my brain???  I asked if I should be concerned and he just said if it's gone don't worry about it, if it happens again have it checked out.  

I have a slight headache today so I am freaking out.  Has anyone had this happen to them before?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Holly, you should share this with your cardiologist, your family MD and you need to be examined by a Eye MD ophthalmologist. It is NOT caused by using a computer too much. As we've said here many times the most common cause is a migraine variant called "eye migraines" which have little or no headache or nausea. It can be a sign, especially in older less healthy adults a sign of disease of the heart, brain, blood vessels or eye.

Your cardiologist should be sure your blood tests for thinning (INR) is good and that your heart valves are working properly. Small blook clots from a heart valve could cause these symptoms.

If you are on birth control pills or hormones you need to discuss stopping them. You might need blood work, carotid dopplers, MRI/MRA and echo cardiograms.

JCH MD

[hollykonkoli]

Hi, I have had this same symptom myself ,I too thought it was strange and when I asked my friends if they had it I found it difficult to describe because they obviously had not experienced it for themselves they had no idea what I was talking about,neither did my pcp or my eye doctor. it lasts for about 5-10 minutes give or take a few as I don't really notice when it has gone away kind of like the hiccupps but I definately notice the zig zagged bright,see-through rainbow colored or prism-like shimmering arcs at the edges of my eyes or peripheral vision. no headache assoctiated with it yet. I still am unsure what it is exactly but I'm fearful it might be the onset of a mild stroke as I've had an artificial heart valve replacement requiring me to take blood thinners indefinately to avoid possible strokes they are known to cause. I usually take an extra coumadin OR have a drink.just in case. But I also think it might be just from watching my computer monitor with a bright light or window in the back-or-fore-ground .If you find out any information could you share and I will do the same mean kitty. :) sincerely,hollykonkoli.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

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[achillea]

Did your rainbow thing look like the clickable animation in this article?

http://www.knownjohnson.com/?p=73


The doctor will weigh in here, but I have experience with migraines, some of them with what's called 'aura,' which for me appear often as a sparkly rainbow that you can't read anything through.

You might enjoy googling 'migraine with aura' to see if anything looks familiar.