seeing stars and im not in hollywood

[Simico]

I too have this problem.

All my vision is covered by billions of tiny light flashes. 24hrs and day, 7 days a week. I think for at least 2 years. Both eyes are affected, and developed the problem at the same time. The flashes are evident with eyes open, closed, day and night, 365 days a year, no exceptions. They are more pronounced on high contrast backgrounds, like the sky, or pitch black, but only appear more pronounced, in reality they are just easier to see. It appears, although it may be an optical illusion, that I can optically focus on the flashing lights. When I do this, I focus passed the optical range where I would focus on the normal big floater cells, and continue to change my depth of focus until I see tiny (1000x smaller than a floater cell) white balls moving around.

I am interested that you mention chrones disease. I am allergic to wheat and diary, and am a Coeliac. My diet is therefore very restricted, and my body doesn't always absorb nutrients as well as it might. So I wonder, could this be a deficiency? I have been tested for common vitamin and nutrients, and all was within normal range, but it would be logical that SOMETHING could be missing which isn't normally a problem, and therefore no routinely tested for.

The visual stars have been getting slowly worse. Could that be why? ie as the deficiency worsens, as does the optical effect...

My second gut feeling, is;

Could this be linked to an oxygen deficiency somewhere in the system? I have slightly high blood pressure, but basically it's normal. But I can make the visual disturbance temporarily worse by increasing my blood pressure with muscle tension/strain. So could localised oxygen, and or, blood pressure be a factor?

To complete the picture, the fuzzy lights are not the only disturbance, but they are the most prevenlant. But additionally for example, if I look at a person against a light wall, they appear to have a halo lighter than the wall around there head. Also, ghost images of text, or high contrast objects, etc temporarily in my vision after looking away. Etc, etc. The stars overlay everything of course.

If anyone has experienced this, (not floaters but tiny lights everywhere), what are they, and what was the outcome?



This discussion is related to seeing stars and im not in hollywood.

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

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[djiboutibear]

I have this same problem too.  I just reached my deductible on my insurance so I will be going to the neurologist before the year is out.  I will let you know.

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

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[Simico]

Quite possibly, how is it effects reversed?

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

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[benelton]

Hi Simico, I have had the exact and I mean the exact symptoms as your describe, although the floater for me are the worst thing by far. I have quite large ones which the optician can actually see when they inspect my eyes.

Anyway, all my problems started at the time I took an extended dose of an anti-biotic call ciproflexicin which has other names. Its a quinilone drug and has been widely noted for causing last effects such as these. Can you ever recall been given antibiotic for such things as a uniary infection, sinus infection or chest infection?

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

There are many extended discussions accessable by the search feature about so called "visual snow".  Some of these descriptions sound like what you've descri bed.

JCH MD

[Simico]

Thanks, but I am in the UK so am stuck with the NHS system. I have been to the eye hospital, seen about 5 different consultants (including a neuro-ophthalmologist), and basically, I don't think they have a clue what it is, or what's causing it. Once they have ticked off their specialty, and ruled out all their "normal" ailments, I get passed on the another consultant in a different field. This means waiting 3 months for another appointment, before that Dr see's you, and then passes you across to another. (And yes, that means waiting another 3 months).

If anyone has any experience of this, these symptoms, or has any suggestions on what it is, please let me know. It's not the end of the world, but if there is a way my future does not include an overlay of the "white noise" from a CRT TV on standby in front of everything I see 24/7, I would certainly prefer it...

(John, thanks for your post).

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

Neither oxygen defiency nor Crohn's disease is likely to cause this. I suggest you see a neuro-ophthalmologist. Find one in the USA at www.aao.org

JCH MD