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Seeing green tint (chartruese color) in morning upon awakening
This tint of green-overall not blotches, has happened before in the past a few times. My vision is not deteriorating, but I'm trying to link it up to something in my diet (or lack of). It occurs immediately upon awakening, but only lasts a few seconds, then everything is normal. I'm 50 y/o woman with no health problems (thyroid exception). My BP is usually normal between 120 -130 but can spike shortly a bit higher. I take no BP meds. Could it be a spike in BP? I had some unusually salty food last night. Or could it be something else?
A common posting and as described likely due to rebalancing of the different color perceiving retina cells (cones). JCH MD
2 Comments
Hello. I had a bad head cold sneezing like crazy. Got up in the middle of the night and saw black flashes in my vision. Went back to bed. Three days later I noticed that I get a green hue to my vision occasionally. Only outside or when a lot of outside light is shining in the windows. I went to the Optometrist, Opthalmologist. Had an MRI. Went to the ER. Everything has come back as normal. It happens in one eye at a time. And if I cover the effected for a few seconds and then open it recovers. I can still tell colors apart just a green hue. Vision is clear when it happens. Sometimes it doesn’t happen for a day or two.
That symptoms is so unsual I can't offer useful comment
This has happened to me twice. Both times immediately after standing up. The first time was at night. I had been reclining almost fully supine for a long time reading in light that was not especially bright, maybe even on the dim side. I got up and went into the kitchen and noticed the range hood light shining a greenish hue. I then looked back to my reading lamp and it was the same. The house was otherwise unlit.
2nd time was a half hour ago. I had gone outside to lie in the sun for a few minutes. Sun was bright, though I of course had my eyes closed. Maybe two to three minutes. I got up, perhaps too quickly, and went inside to find all my white walls had turned that same greenish hue. I immediately recognized it as the same phenomenon that happened to me above, which was about five years ago.
Unlike many others, I do not associate it with having napped or awakened, but with standing up after being fully supine.
The only answer I found years ago the first time I looked it up came indirectly from an ophthalmologist, who had told a forum-poster that it had to do with a rod/cone imbalance from a sudden blood pressure shift.
I also learned during that first search that it's not uncommon for doctors to have never come across this, even ones with long careers.
I've always had "borderline" high blood pressure, and have had elevated, though not diabetic, glucose levels for about a decade. Not sure if these are much of a factor, but I offer it for what it's worth.
Hope that helps someone here.
2nd time was a half hour ago. I had gone outside to lie in the sun for a few minutes. Sun was bright, though I of course had my eyes closed. Maybe two to three minutes. I got up, perhaps too quickly, and went inside to find all my white walls had turned that same greenish hue. I immediately recognized it as the same phenomenon that happened to me above, which was about five years ago.
Unlike many others, I do not associate it with having napped or awakened, but with standing up after being fully supine.
The only answer I found years ago the first time I looked it up came indirectly from an ophthalmologist, who had told a forum-poster that it had to do with a rod/cone imbalance from a sudden blood pressure shift.
I also learned during that first search that it's not uncommon for doctors to have never come across this, even ones with long careers.
I've always had "borderline" high blood pressure, and have had elevated, though not diabetic, glucose levels for about a decade. Not sure if these are much of a factor, but I offer it for what it's worth.
Hope that helps someone here.
This morning when I first woke up, I saw a green hue over everything. It lasted for 2 minutes.
Maybe be 3 reason, I sept near the window where the sunlight falls to my eyes or I am drinking too much carbonated beverages for last 1 week or I use Blue screen filter for my Tv before sleep. Except for carbonated beverage, I had no issues before.
Maybe be 3 reason, I sept near the window where the sunlight falls to my eyes or I am drinking too much carbonated beverages for last 1 week or I use Blue screen filter for my Tv before sleep. Except for carbonated beverage, I had no issues before.
Also happens to me on occasion, especially when I fall asleep in my recliner watching TV. I waken to see the most incredible green faces on television, lasts for just seconds. My partner awoke me in my recliner and said “you weren’t breathing” I looked up and his skin was as green as shriek. Again it only lasted seconds. I bought a oxygen monitor and started wearing it at nights and sometimes in the recliner. So far haven’t caught a green occurrence with hypoxia. I did find occasion O2 drops when sleeping down to 82% for a minute or two, but wasn’t awake to see green. Other than that myO2 is 93 to 99% hopefully I will catch the green - and find it’s not apnea.
1 Comments
This is a very long discussion thread going back years. No one has reported the problem being caused by serious eye disease.
I have just started getting this phenomena too. Am on thyroid meds, have recently put diebetes T2 into remission so my glucose levels are good, but I dont know what my insulin levels are, I have B12 injections. My doc hasnt got a clue but has ordered all my baseline tests to see if I'm low on some vitamin or mineral and to see if my HbA1C is ok. My eyesight has actually got better on my Keto diet and I can see to drive at night again when has been a bit of a prob for the last decade. I cycle for at least 20 miles a day and have got super fit in the lockdown. This has me worried, but it is beautiful, and only happens after a nap during the day, not in a darkened room. I do have sleep apnoea but the type where I hold a big lungful of breath in rather than stop breathing..
3 Comments
There are many posts here of people that have observed this. In my office I had a patient complain of the same thing this week. Have a medical eye exam by an Eye MD ophthalmologist. Ask for a test called a macular OCT. If the exam and eye test are normal move on and stop worrying unless something else changes. For most people it's just your retina changing gears from sleep to awake.
I had an OCT and everything looked very healthy. I still have the green filter effect after a daytime nap, but only on sunny days, if its cloudy or a low light it doesnt happen. I am not worrying so thank you for your suggestion Dr John, i feel reassured now I have had the all clear after the OCT, it was good to get that done. The optician had never heard of it before but told me there was nothing serious going on, and a large range of blood tests show everything looked as expected - usual Thyroid and Pernicious Anemea but both were under good control , my keto diet has put DT2 in remission so hpa1c also came back normal, only cholesterol was a bit high. Hope this helps anyone not to worry about this odd effect. I'm fitter than I have been for many years and my eyesight is better for the drop in hpa1c levels. I can drive at night now, so much easier to see as no more glare - not even a lime green one :)
Thanks for the information and best of luck to you.
I might have figured it out. chloropsia says it can occur with digitalis intoxication - digitalis can be equated to purple foxglove, a really pretty purple bell shaped lilac like flower, I picjed a bunch of them two days ago,. turns out they are poisonous
1 Comments
It is dying an expanse of perspective. Your eyes are independent organisms you are just aware of from existing as an entity. Sorry, this is hard to swallow for anyone over 25 because your life is about over and you will more or less run on autopilot and lose critical, thinking abilities. You know that feeling like you might not know everything but you know when something is ********, that's the thing that has taken your life from you. Anyway, The medium we live in has many processes and operations we are unaware.l The light, or the medium, makes us up and does existence. Your seeing a world under this one. You cannot get much further and you'll never understand it. Just think of it as seeing a divine helm and feel privileged... you are.
3 Comments
The real answer is simply not too worrying it happens not only when you wake up but when you close your eyes to a near UV light source for a few second e.g sun like a light of a glow in the dark due to solar energy the green hue of what your seeing is simply solar energy that was stored in your eyes! Nothing to worry about.
3 Comments
Not really a "everyday fact" vision is a photochemical process and solar energy is thankfully not stored in the eye. I can agree with "not too worrying"
Ive seen you write many times its normal but not knowing the cause of it. Im experiencing it now, in my 50s have worked with optics and measurement and its never happened to me till now. Its only at this job where Im unable to stay awake, I think there is a low Oxygen % in the air. Im hoping to find what the cause is. I regain consciousness and the paper in front of me is yellow, room is mostly green and in 45 seconds is normal? Not normal. I would also see red dots on the carpet in the hallway as I awoke, like LEDs they would be bright dots that faded away. Im very worried.
You are welcome to your opinion. You should be checked for sleep apnea.
I am a 67 year old chronic intractable migraine sufferer and woke up this morning with a bright yellow hue like a film over everything then it changed to bright green. It lasted about a minute then returned to normal. After the yellow I thought I hate yellow and that's when it changed to green. Did anybody get a diagnosis? Thanks.
1 Comments
Anything that is present on awakening but gone in a minute is rarely serious. As this and other discussions point out usually due to eye changing from dark adaption mode to light adaptation mode.
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I just woke up and everything was a bright chartreuse color. I was facing away from the lamp and it was 4am. My body felt numb all over and I felt incredibly weak. I needed to take my medication but just couldn't move. My arms especially felt tingly as if the were asleep. I felt worried and closed my eyes and a minute later this shock went through my body. It was horrifying. It made me scream. I am a 48 year old female. I take thyroid medication along with numerous other meds. I ate before bed but haven't drank anything most of the day except for coffee. I am really freaked out. My arms still feel a little numb. It's now 5:15am. When I opened my eyes the green was there. Everywhere. There was no light shining in them. What's happening to me?
Call your personal office immediate and demand to be seen today, it he/she cannot consider going to an ER. If your arms are still numb or you have another other stroke like symptoms you may need to have someone take you to ER or call 911. It's not the eye symptoms that are as worrisome as numbness in arms.
For me, everything light colored, mainly white, appears light green for a few seconds after awakening. This seems to occur mainly upon awakening from a nap. At the age of around 63, I began to take naps every day; and have noticed this color shift. Occasional naps before this age did not produce this effect. Vision tends to grow dimmer with age. Maybe the red pigment depletion effect developed during day time sleep becomes stronger with my age.
It may be that the awareness is sudden but its been there before. It could be that the lighting circumstances have changed. Or it could be co-incident as the two most commonly asked question in Medicine are 1. Why me? 2. Why now?
I have this too. I have been thinking could it be the blue screens on tv. I go to sleep with tv on just about every night . I also see purple, yellow and green. Weird
Hello I am a fifty year old female. I have experienced this phenomenon four or five times in the last month. I have woken up to the most stunningly beautiful shade of green after dozing in the afternoon, green is my least favourite colour but in this case it was beautiful The room faced East in Autumn in NW England, during different weather conditions i.e.. Bright sunshine and rain.I have no explanation. I have trouble sleeping of a night. In the past couple of years I have experienced pain free migraines.
2 Comments
My experience was not when I woke up. It may have been because I had come indoors from strong sunshine. I also have migraine that causes visual disturbances, and vertigo, which may have been what it was. However, I did pass out, and that bothers me. My head went hot, everything turned green. I came round with vertigo and disorientated on the floor
The above post makes a great deal of sense. Momentary "weird" vision on awakening that clears completely within a minute and unaccompanied by other symptoms is rarely a sign of anything serious.
JCH MD
JCH MD
4 Comments
When I wake up and turn on the light then close my eyes I see a bright green blotch surrounded by a skinny strip of white light. If I put my hand over my right eye, I see a red blotch surrounded by a thin bright white line through my closed eyelid. It goes away in a minute or two.
As is said here several times. Those types of symptoms are rarely ever serious and represent your eye (technically your retina) waking up and adjusting to new lighting.
Yes I think it's a thing that happens to some people when you open your eyes suddenly after sleep - in a bright room, it's happened to me several times over the last couple years but only when I'm in a bright room after an afternoon nap, I am 60 yr old female,no major health problems, I have had my eyes tested and everything's fine internally apart from common floaters. I do take a low dose BP med daily that's all, I don't smoke, drink socially , quite active and busy, a bit overweight , my hubby and I eat as healthily as possible. I think it's just one of those weird things that happens as we age.
From another med site:
Your eyes have different color pigment which give you color vision. When light hits the retina, the pigment absorbs the light which produces the sensation of color, but the pigment is used up. (Goethe was among the first to discover this phenomenon)
If you wake to sunlight or bright light to your eyes when they are shut, your eyes will see red light through your eyelids. The green and blue pigments are not used up.
When you open your eyes, you will see a greenish-blue hue to everything for a time, until your retinal cells recycle the red pigment - that takes a few seconds.
Your eyes have different color pigment which give you color vision. When light hits the retina, the pigment absorbs the light which produces the sensation of color, but the pigment is used up. (Goethe was among the first to discover this phenomenon)
If you wake to sunlight or bright light to your eyes when they are shut, your eyes will see red light through your eyelids. The green and blue pigments are not used up.
When you open your eyes, you will see a greenish-blue hue to everything for a time, until your retinal cells recycle the red pigment - that takes a few seconds.
13 Comments
This makes perfectly plausible and scientific sense. I always see green, and it is nearly always when I wake from a daytime doze in a sunny room.
That s really helpful to me too. And yes it s always waking looking at sunlight. I ve been quickly forgetting about it til this afternoon s nap. I take tablets for blood pressure and recently had valve replacement surgery. I m not diabetic
well my son had it happen to him today at lunch, hes 8 yo. he said he wasnt looking at anything bright, lasted about a minute. if anyone else finds an answer, thanks. im sure its a random transient thing...but its my kid so of course, i worry.
I'm 68 pre-diabetic and on thyroid medicine. I am going to make an appt. next week with my optometrist if they will see me because COVID-19 is an issue right now. I see colors of green, red, and pink . These colors appear as lines and circles that actually move around while I am awake, they are quite beautiful but I need to know why it's happening.
1. How long do they last? 2. Can you see them with your eyes closed? 3. Is it coming from both eyes? 4. When you have then do you have any other symptoms such as trouble moving arms or legs, trouble with speech or balance? 5. Is there any headache during, before, after they happen? 6. Have you ever been diagnosed by a MD as having migraines. 7. are you male/female? Do you have access to see an MD ophthalmologist?
1. They last up to 15 seconds 2. I have never closed my eyes when I see them as I am so amazed 3. Yes, I see the colors with both eyes 4. No, I have no trouble with my arms or legs except a couple of times my arm was numb from what I thought was sleeping in same spot all night. I have been a little stiff walking but it goes away after a few seconds ......I have gotten out of bed on one occasion walked to my bathroom set down and looked at the ceramic floor and saw the colors again 5. I never have headaches, sometimes my eyes ache when I forget to take my BP pill. 6. No 7. Female I can see an ophthalmologist. I have Medicare and a supplement insurance as well. Should I make an appt.? Thank you.
There are several things that concern me ESPECIALLY if this is something new that just developed in the last several months (if you said have been there for 10 years no problem unless something changes). So assuming this is a new problem it does not sound like what are called ocular migraines. You do need to see an eye MD ophthalmologist and I think need a test called a macular OCT. But these are not typical symptoms coming from the eye. So what might cause them? You are 68 and pre-diabetic. If you have other risk factors: hypertension, elevated cholesterol, obesity, tobacco or marijuana use, bad family history of cardiovascular disease they could be a sign of disease of the heart/blood vessels or the Central Nervous system (brain). Start with the Eye MD. If that exam is normal ask the Eye MD to send report to your personal physician AND ask if you need to see a neurologist. It doesn't have to be serious but like someone that says they have chest pain the serious causes need to be ruled out.
Dr. Hagan,
Thank you for your advice. I will call my primary care doctor tomorrow and get a referral to see an ophthalmologist and request a macular OCT . I will proceed from their findings and contact my primary care doctor with the results. I am presently on BP medicine however I do not smoke, drink or do any drugs and I am tall and thin. I don't know about my cholesterol however but will schedule a complete physical as soon as possible. Again, thank you so much, your opinion was greatly
appreciated. Jo Ann Whitehead
Thank you for your advice. I will call my primary care doctor tomorrow and get a referral to see an ophthalmologist and request a macular OCT . I will proceed from their findings and contact my primary care doctor with the results. I am presently on BP medicine however I do not smoke, drink or do any drugs and I am tall and thin. I don't know about my cholesterol however but will schedule a complete physical as soon as possible. Again, thank you so much, your opinion was greatly
appreciated. Jo Ann Whitehead
Sounds like you are taking good care of yourself, keep it up. Best of luck. Some of these things, often posted here, don't turn out to be an eye or body problem. Some are awareness of entoptic phenomena but serious causes need to be excluded. If you find a cause as a learning experience for others please repost the findings JHagan MD
I certainly will...Thank you.
This has been bugging me for months now. I was afraid it might be a brain tumor or something equally hideous. How can so many people be having this happen without any eye care professionals knowing what it is?
2 Comments
I agree. I'm 68 pre-diabetic and on thyroid medicine. I am going to make an appt. next week if they will see me because COVID-19 is an issue right now.
That posting is from 2015. Please see my response to your other posting JHagan MD
Glad to here I'm not alone mine started 2012 yellow and blue I could not make Dr understand what I was seeing I'm 61
i have been having green tinted vision alot here n their no matter what time of day last for a good while im 22 healthy beside leg n memory problems but im very curious on whats going on i have hazel eye's but i have what everyone calls mood eye's they change color depending on my mood the lighting and what i wear i dont know if its cuase my eyes turn green or what a friend said its bc i need a break n have to rest my eyes is that correct or whats going on please help
I've just recently started having this same strange symptom - seeing everything bright green for 2-3 seconds after waking up from daytime snoozes. I'm a healthy 55 year old woman, on thyroxine but otherwise no health problems. I have a suggestion and wonder if others could comment.
For the past 3 years I've had to work a lot in sub-Saharan Africa, and find it difficult to re-acclimatize when returning to Scotland. As a result I've been drinking more tea (for warmth!) in Scotland and not much plain water - creating a problem of dehydration. The dentist also mentioned that my mouth is very dry. Could the problem be related to dehydration? I never have the vision problem when in Africa, where I drink plenty of water.
For the past 3 years I've had to work a lot in sub-Saharan Africa, and find it difficult to re-acclimatize when returning to Scotland. As a result I've been drinking more tea (for warmth!) in Scotland and not much plain water - creating a problem of dehydration. The dentist also mentioned that my mouth is very dry. Could the problem be related to dehydration? I never have the vision problem when in Africa, where I drink plenty of water.
2 Comments
I too have seen bright neon green lines after waking and are taking thyroid medicine and awake sometimes with dry mouth. I wonder if thyroid problems may be the cause.
For the past year whenever I wake from a daytime nap everything is yellow and green but quickly changes back to normal. My EEG was normal. My eye doctor does not know either. About 5 years ago everything was turquoise then changed to other colors. I wound up in a psych ward and was put on different meds....but after I came home the yellow and green thing started and slowly built up to everytime I nap. Needless to say I did not complain
....smile. It is nice to know I am not alone.
....smile. It is nice to know I am not alone.
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