For those with the bright spot when blinking symptom

[Astroturf]

There are several of us on here who have a similar eye complaint: seeing a bright flash, like the afterimage of a flash bulb, when we blink, and sometimes, on upgaze. This is  transient symptom for most of us, lasting anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. When the "spot" in our visual field passes over a dark background, the spot appears light. When the spot passes over a light background, it appears dark.

So far, the doctors haven't been able to diagnose us, and perhaps that means it is simply some idiopathic phenomenon. But, in any case, I'm wondering what other similarities we might all have that could bring us closer to a an explanation.

For instance, other factors about me which might be clues are:

I take 100 mg of Zoloft a day
I would describe myself as high-anxiety and stress
I clench my teeth, usually on the same side as the effected eye
I have alot of sinus problems around my eyes
I have double vision due to a weak muscle in one eye
I have many floaters and one very prominent one in the eye without the bright spot

How about you?

[atypicalsymptom]

Another update: My doctors are saying that the OCT scans are consistent with a newly recognized entity called Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy (PAMM), "or something similar to that." I think someone else on this forum has received a similar diagnosis. That doesn't provide much more information, because as far as I can tell from searching the literature, this "disease" (or cluster of symptoms and scan results) has an unknown cause and no known treatment. However, it does appear that a vascular cause is a reasonable hypothesis, which many people on this forum have suspected for a while. I also have some unexplained white matter lesions on my brain MRI, which I'm thinking may also reflect a vascular problem.

In case anyone is interested:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23929382

http://www.ajo.com/article/S0002-9394(15)00268-8/abstract

[JemmaJackson]

I also have recently received a suspected PAMM (Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy) diagnosis from Moorfields in London. I am returning in a few days' time for follow up. It is an exceptionally rare (or maybe due to it being newly recognised the commonality of it has not yet been determined) and unfortunately it does seem to have no treatment as a result. BUT, it doesn't seem to be blinding, just terribly frustrating.
Normal tests and scans do not pick this up, a special OCTA (optical coherence tomography angiography) scan is required or SD - OCT.

I will keep updating. But I recommend everybody on this board asks to be investigated promptly for PAMM, a rare variation of AMN/R (acute macular nueroretinopathy).

Good luck and kind wishes,

Jemma

[matt009au]

Wondering what exercise everyone here does?
I used to do quite a lot of running and weights but with these spots associated with exercise often I've cut out everything and now just walk the dog. ***** as exercise was such a good stress relief.

[Laticeyes]

I used to go to the gym quite a lot but recently I had something which I believe is called an "exertion headache" while doing the leg extension.  Basically I got a searing pain in the back of my head while lifting which left a dull ache for about a week.  the initial pain was up there with the worst I've had but fortunately only lasted about a minute.  

I was straining and could "see" my pulse in my vision.  I was stupid to push too hard.  I've not been able to lift even small weights without a dull headache coming back for a day or two.  Only just able to go on the cross trainer at a light-medium pace.

I had scans etc and everything was fine.  Awaiting MR Angiogram results, which I hope might also shed some light onto the vision issue.  

I don't know if its related to the vision symptom but just a warning for people not to strain at the gym.  

[welshey5000]

I had a MR angiogram with contrast of my neck vessels and my eyes and nothing came back , it was all normal

[matt009au]

Woke up with another seemingly permanent spot today :(  
I stayed up late and woke up quite dehydrated.
Really hope this one goes away. It is about 4 o'clock in my left eye a cm or so from fixation :(

[welshey5000]

A pixel spot or camera afterimage spot?

[welshey5000]

Does anyone else not get the entoptic phenomema? Mine is so horrific now it ruins my days. Everywhere i look i see these worms squiggling about/slowing down. This is 100% a blood flow problem, and we need to find something which stops the constriction of the blood vessels as its slowly killing off parts of our retinas

[welshey5000]

Hi all, now i want to make clear that i dont think we have to worry about AZOOR, check all the AZOOR forums, and not onr person mentions these 'tiny' camera flash spots after image effect we get. Also, they often complain of large fields of vision missing, and 'photopsia' or constant flashing lights in and around their missing vision, and this isnt us im afraid. Also, they say their condition worsens in bright light, as in the flashing lights become worse. I dont know about any of you, but i certaintly dont get constant flashing lights ? I get camera flash blindspots! Which are different.

[Siskiyou1]

I am so happy to read all this!  I have had flashbulb images for over 50 years and never got an answer!!  thank you all.

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

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[sarah4983]

http://imgur.com/58yRcGJ

This is my best attempt at trying to draw what I see sitting with my head approximately 2 feet from the monitor. They are from 2007, 2010, and 2015. Is this similar to what you all are seeing?

[melinda68]

Exactly this!