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Flashes s/p scleral buckle retinal detachement

The history: I am a 29 year old female who had a partial scleral buckle placed just under 2 years ago for a right eye peripheral detachment that was chronic and slow progressing.  I did all my post-op check ups as recommended up to 6 months (with smiling faces from the physicians and residents each time).  Since, I've followed up with optometry (I ended up switching insurance companies a couple times and am still going through legwork to get referred to an ophthalmologist).  Both times I've seen optometry I've had my eyes dilated and examined.  Both times, they also said everything was fine.  My visual acuity is -8.0 on the left and -8.5 on the right with slight astigmatism.

The question: I'm more so looking for a medical reason "why" I'm experiencing what I have been.  Ever since the surgery, I've had flashes in my peripheral vision (I would say they were worse for the first 3-4 months, and have now stabilized to a 10 time a day thing).  I wouldn't describe them as lightening strikes, more so almost curved floating lights that start at the bottom/top corner of my eye, float to the top/bottom, disappearing within a second (sometimes many happen sequentially, sometimes just one).  I feel like sometimes straining to do something (like when you're on that last sit up of a workout) can bring them on or if I've been sitting straining my eyes at the computer too long.  Otherwise they're random.  In my peripheral vision now (and once again, it's been like this since surgery, no change) I also seem to have this constant tremulous area.  There's really no better way to describe it.  It doesn't affect my visual acuity, it's far off in the periphery (although quite annoying during reading sometimes).  It's almost as if you took one of those strange spots you get during a migraine, placed it in my peripheral vision (right where the detachment was) and left it there.  Once again, this has been like this ever since the surgery.  I asked the surgeon about the flashes and what I called at the time "visual oddities" at my 6 month check up and his explanation was "it happens" and "everything looks good".  

Why are these occurring?  Is it due to scarring?  I'm just constantly paranoid that something else is happening, even when the symptoms remain the same and I've been told I'm fine multiple times.  I would just feel better if I knew why!
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177275 tn?1511755244
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Avatar universal
I've searched for your symptoms for years.  You described exactly what I have experienced for the last 35 years, back when I had the same surgery.  I still get the floating light (mine is round), sometimes two at the same time,   about once a week.  It's usually triggered when I've been in a well-lighted room and enter a totally dark room.  It can also happen when I've been lying down for a while and then stand up, or when I bend way over.  I think in that case it has something to do with eye pressure.  

I've had no loss of vision after all these years.  At first, I would mention it whenever I've seen an ophthalmologist or optometrist.  None of them knew what it could be, but didn't seem concerned, since everything looked OK.  I've stopped bringing it up at this point, unless I'm seeing a new eye doc.

As far as the "tremulous area", I had that for a while (don't remember how long) but eventually it did disappear.

HTH

Betsy
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177275 tn?1511755244
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