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Seeing red

Sometimes when I wake in the middle of the night I see everything red, I can see all the things in my room even if it's dark, after a few seconds the red color vanishes and my vision comes back to normal (by that I mean that all goes dark).
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Avatar universal
This happens to me too! About once every few years. I don’t think it’s a vision issue. Definitely a neurology issue. It could be related to migraines or low blood pressure. Ever been diagnosed with migraine or  POTS? I get a heavy feeling and a vibrating or tingling sensation in my whole body like my blood just started circulating again after a pressure drop.
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3 Comments
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Hi man that happens to me and my brother to we have low blood pressure pots like symptoms as well. I can't sleep till after 3:00am because if i fall asleep before my blood pressure will drop and i will start to feel pins and needles pressure in my head. It really scary i just want the problems to stop. Since going on a diet of just chicken and lectin free vegetables. No carbs of any kind no gluten no dairy. I am feeling better and i have less symptoms during the day. But I just wish I could totally cure my self. I'm going to Australia to see a Dr named Dr Borody he supposedly can cure Crohn's disease and other gastro immune issues. I think this is all gut/ immune related. I am heat intolerant as well, i wasn't always. I am going to set up a pop up tent and cut a hole in the roof and buy a portable air conditioner so I can absorb the sun light vitamin D while still being nice and cool .
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Avatar universal
I experienced this phenomena the other day. Found this thread and wanted to let others know. I woke from a normal sleep about 3am. My room is normally very dark. I have natural cedar wood on my ceilings and some walls. When I woke, my whole room was bathed in red. As if I had sunglasses on with red lenses. My vision was so clear, I could count every board, count every knot in every board. Their were no shadows. My initial reaction was panic, I thought an emergency vehicle had a red light shining into my room, but where I live knew that was improbable as I live in a wooded area. Then my racing thoughts went to fire.  But before I could bound out of bed, almost like a light switch was flipped, my vision went back to normal, very dark. This experience has me pondering. What is the human eye capable of? Although unnerving, it was spectacular. The most wonderful night vision. You hear of animals being able to see and hunt in the middle of the night. Could humans also have this capability? But we don’t understand how to tap into it? I’m in the medical field, nothing at all wrong with my health or eyes. But this wonderful experience has sparked my curiosity and scientific mind...
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3 Comments
Thanks for sharing your experience. Many similiar or identical have been posted over the past decade.
I had this problem for the first time just now, I fell asleep watching tv but when I woke up everything and everyone on the tv was red, I had a chuckle because the bald guy on the tv looked like a red Smurf, like he had red body paint on, but within 10 seconds or so everything went back to normal and I realised it was my eyes or brain doing it.
If this is do you do need a medical eye exam by an Eye MD ophthalmologist and as part o that exam a special test called "Macular OCT"  if normal it is likely just the retina color cells waking up at different intervals.
Avatar universal
This has been happening to me starting this year, as soon as last night. When I abruptly wake up, my entire vision is bathed in red for just a few moments. It’s so unnerving. I do wear glasses and I have symptoms of visual snow syndrome but I’m not sure what it could be caused from. I will come back to this page after I visit a neuro ophthalmologist.
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4 Comments
Also, I’ve seen a regular ophthalmologist/retina specialist (3 weeks ago) and my eyes were considered healthy by him.
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Any updates?
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Avatar universal
The same thing happens to me a half a dozen days in a row, 2 or 3 times a year.  Immediately upon waking up I see everything washed in red.  It goes away pretty quickly.  It happens sometimes after naps as well as after a full night of sleep.   It’s been happening for many years so it doesn’t indicate anything that harmful but I would like to know why it happens.  
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Avatar universal
It is better to get help from an expert ophthalmologist. Eye diseases and irritations can occur due to several reasons. Don't take any risk by applying eye drops or other medications in your eyes. My friend used to apply eye drops for irritation in her eyes and that ended up in a severe vision problem and now she is getting treatment from nearby eye clinic ( http://theeye.clinic/ ). Self-treatment will always create complications. Seek the help of your eye doctor ASAP.
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Avatar universal
Same thing happened to me last night when I woke from a nightmare. It's happened a few times over the years,  my theory is that it's something to do with heat (I woke in a sweat) causing light behind the eye. I sleep in a very dark room, so no actual light is visible normally.
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Avatar universal
One more comment.

The problem seems to be controlled now since I no longer use CFL backlit monitors. I'm sure that if I use them again the problem will come back (hopefully not worse). Soon I'll probably have to use work monitors so I'm a little concerned.

I still have similar issues with my CRT monitor but rarely (only after using it for long hours). The symptoms of the CRT are white light but the light only allows me to see my shoulder and part of my chest. It's like brighter but less extended.

Really weird o.0

About possible causes I'm suspecting apnea (induced by the light?). I do suffer from low blood pressure and I also suspect of high blood pressure (which to my knowledge I've never suffered).

Other possible cause maybe something with my eyes, nerves or brain?
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Avatar universal
No updates.

I stopped using CFL backlit monitors/TVs, they seem to be worse because they are extremely bright and have a whiter color, better use LED backlit monitors not too bright and not for too long, CRT monitors have given me the same symptoms but a lot weaker compare to CFLs and only after too much hours of use.
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Avatar universal
Any update? I've had the same problem lately.  It's like a police siren outside and my room is bathed in red light. If you have find out email me please knightunderground at gmail  
Helpful - 0
9 Comments
It happened to me too since I am sitting in pc alot. I wake up in midle of the night and just see everything red, but I see everything like in day light only red, but that happened after i watched alot of anime with devils and red blood (Highschool DxD) but i watched it in night like 1 hour, but it wasn't imediatly after i watched it in that night it was like nights after.I then stop watching that anime because i watch it all, and now I can nornaly sleep.Maybe its because your monitor have alot of red light that you can't see, or after you sit along time in pc, you can see red lines in your eyes and they just tired.
I’ve had this experience twice. Looked like someone was shining a red light in my room. Also after long hours looking at a screen so that might have something to do with it.
Have a medical complete eye exam by an Eye MD ophthalmologist. Ask for a "macular and nerve fiber layer OCT" test and read about Amsler Grid testing and print one out and test your own eyes.  That being said the thing people see after long hours on the computer is generally an "after-image'  (like seeing a bright spot after a flash photo is taken of you) due to receptor fatigue in the macula. The other problem of a spot in the middle of the eye at night or on awakening that goes away quickly is usually due to the eye adjusting from the dark adaptation system (scotopic) to the bright light system (photopic). But as I said you need a full exam with the macular OCT test.
Wow! The first comment discribes my experience completely. Its not just seeing red, its like being able to see in the dark, what you normally can’t, but in red. Like invisible light is somehow shining out of your eyes. Happens a handful of times over the past few years. Glad it’s not just me although I’m confused as to how I can see things I normally can’t.
If you have questions start a new post and give more information.
Does anyone have any answers to this? It started happening to me, seeing the pitch dark room lit in red and being able to see everything. It happens to me when I'm putting my baby to sleep. Sitting or standing, when I'm rocking him to sleep I open my eyes and the entire room is a deep red and I can see everything, it startles me every time.
Start with a complete medical eye exam by an Eye MD ophthalmologist, it should include a special test called a macular OCT.  If that is normal general just monitor for new symtoms. As reading these posts will outline. Usually this is due to the eye shifting back and forth between the 3 sensitivity leves DARK-SEMI DARK-BRIGHT
To Crystal, is it possible you have a baby monitor in the room that is emitting infrared light, and for a moment after opening eyes, you are sensitive to the night vision light?
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Avatar universal
The problem still continues. I can tell now for sure that it only happens when I use my LCD monitor before going to sleep. Somehow, that makes me wake up in the middle of the night and see all red for a minute. It sometimes makes me think my house is on fire so, it's not a funny way to wake up.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've been investigating and I think it might be that I have some sensibility to the infrared spectrum, but I'm gonna ask next time I visit an ophthalmologist, I'm not feeling too worried anyways.

Thanks.
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711220 tn?1251891127
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I am not sure what the problem is.  Please see an ophthalmologist.

Dr. O.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Maybe you can uset i for your own good, only if you see red in dark,and if you see it in day time,then contact doctor.
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