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Avatar universal

Eye flashes.

My situation gives me cause for concern because I have gone to an eye doctor, did the dilated-pupil exam and check-up while my doctor tells me they see nothing.

Floaters are a nuisance that I have grown to live with.  Pretty general knowledge to read up on what they are and how harmless they really are if you can live to ignore them.  Odd thing is that I remember having floaters (the same ones, meaning same shapes) stuck in both eyes since I was like 10 (I’m 27 now); while all the research I’ve done on them tells me that they usually fade or dissipate after a while. I never found that to be true.  

However, my cause for concern is the problem my doctor couldn't find.  I seem to have periodic "sequential" flashes coming out of the corner of my right eye for the past 3 years.  Periodic because they happen seemingly uncontrollably; and sequential as it's always the same flash-pattern.
These flashes always seem to occur at the same location, always outside of my peripheral vision, in the upper-right corner of my right eye- always occurring in the same spot (unlike my floaters which just 'float' everywhere my eye turns).

Because I cannot directly look at the flashes (I can only see them out of the corner of my vision), I always see them best at night or in darkness.  The darker the setting, the better I see the flashes (if they happen to be occurring at that time).
I'll also note that they don't seem like "light" flashes per se, more so like negative-light flashes.  Best I can describe would be almost like flashes of blue lights, if that makes any sense.

I've tried researching what they might be, and I honestly still have no idea.  I've read up on several conditions it might/could be, but most sound pretty distinct.

I wasn't sure if it could be retinal detachment because supposedly that condition is said to worsen leading to eye loss.  My condition doesn't seem that critical as I can't really say the flashes have worsen, however it's safer to say they haven't gotten better.

I haven’t experienced any pain or loss of vision because of them, which is probably why I am not that alerted by them as an urgent problem…but then again that’s why I’m here.

Any ideas as to what this might be?
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Avatar universal
I am 24 year old male. I have floater since I was a teenager but recently I have started seen flashes of light in my peripheral vision. Very annoying.

I've done my research and seems I have a condition called lattice degenration.

I will go for an eye surgery tomorrow - laser photocalgulation but I am terribly scared.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your advice, Doctor.
After some digging following your recommendation, that does sound exactly like what I’ve been experiencing (no headache pain, but blood-flow related).
Fortunately, the symptom hasn't occurred in my direct field-of-view, just my peripheral.
I will definitely check out the website for more info and hopefully visit an expert on the matter, as you suggested.

Thanks again Doc
Helpful - 0
233488 tn?1310693103
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You should see an Eye MD specifically a neuro-ophthalmologist. You can find one at www.aao.org  

By far the most common cause is ophthalmic migraine especially if you are younger than 40. Eye migraines often do no cause headache.

You can search our archives to see the many discussions of thei problem   You can go to Google IMAGES and type in ophthalmic migraine and see examples of a migraine blinking blurred spot "scintillating scotoma"

Serious diease of the heart, brain and blood vessels needs to be excluded with basic tests.

JCH III MD FACS Ophthalmologist
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Avatar universal
No.
Nothing like that at all.
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Avatar universal
Jon's question is a very good one. I would get a second opinion, and give the doc all the info you have given us here.

Maybe it's not serious, but maybe you can learn something that will calm you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Have you ever taken a whack in that eye?
Helpful - 0
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