I am concerned about floaters and occasional flashes when I turn my head........

[SassyLassie]

The flashes seem to happen the most if I turn my head or move my eyes, however, they (and the floaters) are only in my left eye, the eye that I am near-sighted in, I have weird eyes, one is far-sighted, the other is near-sighted. Anyway, there are not a lot of floaters, just a few light grey dots, but sometimes, one is darker and I think it is a mosquito so I swat at it only to have it "float" away.  Very annoying.

I went to the doctor, he dilated my eyes, then had a very thorough look, then also did some tests on machines that test for retinal detachment, nerve damage, etc, all came back fine, but they did show my vitreous starting to detach, he said this could cause some of the issues I am having.

The flashes are noticeable when I turn my head, I can see a small white flash in the upper left corner of my left eye, I don't see them any other time however. I went back to the doctor last week, he said he still didn't see anything wrong, but to keep watching it.

So, now that I am aware of the floaters and flashes, I am seeing them more, and they are driving me crazy. I will add that I am under tons of stress, I just had an MRI done to see what a pelvic mass is, and my husband had bad bowel cancer last year, so, I will say I do have some health anxiety, I am wondering if that is making me more aware of what is going on. I do recall floaters many years ago but they didn't bother me, but now, EVERYTHING does. I can't keep running to the eye clinic, but I am scared.

Oh, I was also diagnosed with Map Dot Dystrophy, but I have had that for many years and have been told there is nothing to worry about as it hasn't gotten worse.

Thank you for reading this and for any info you may be able to share.

[JohnHaganMD]

A lot depends on the skill and training of your "eye doctor"  if yours is an Eye MD ophthalmologist then I would tend to tell you not to worry unless something changes. If your "eye doctor" is a non-MD, non-physician OD optometrist I am worried and would suggest you see an Eye MD ophthalmologist.  Map/Dot/Fingerprint Dystrophy is common and often assymptomatic and not related to floaters.  Stress makes most everything worse and more troublesome and is often mentioned in the Eye Forum for people bothered by floaters.

[SassyLassie]

Thank you. He is not an MD Ophthalmologist, I went to one all the time back home in the states, but when I moved over here to New Zealand, I discovered that I could not see one unless "referred" by an MD. My Optometrist, is very thorough, and has done all the tests that were performed back home by the Ophthalmologist, in fact, I don't recall have so many high tech tests done before seeing this one.

That being said, I would have liked to have seen an MD, but at this time, I don't think it is possible.

I appreciate your answer.

[SassyLassie]

I forgot to add, even though he isn't an ophthalmologist, he is a doctor of optometry OD, and, as I said, one of the best in Nelson ( the city I live in)

[JohnHaganMD]

A nurse is never a physician; an attendant is never a pilot; an amateur is never a pro. If the best you can do is an optometrist then you will have to live with it; if you can get your MD to refer you to an Eye Md you will be better served.

[SassyLassie]

Thank you. Yes, I guess I will have to live with it for now, and trust that the OCT tests were accurate when the results were all "good" according to the doctor. I had two look at them, they both said, however, if it got worse to come in immediately, but so far, that isn't the case, I am just concerned, but I will forget it for now, I have lots other things to occupy my mind with.

[JohnHaganMD]

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