visual disturbances

[sylvia11]

For 3 months I have been suffering from strange visual disturbances. I am 26 yrs old and otherwise ok. My eye problems started with an increased amount of floaters and I was told I had PVD. From then on, I started experiencing strong afterimages, after everything I barely looked at (positive and negative). Then I started seeing light phenomena and visual snow/static, worse at night and in the morning. I also see light rays projected from cars, lamps etc. when I blink. When I try to sleep and close my eyes, I start seeing starnge, not formed hallucinations (like looking at a lava lamp) and often when I wake up I see a big black circle which disappears with a few blinks of the eye. Light seems to be a big factor, the afterimages are strongest in the morning when I wake up and visual static is strongest in the dark. I also notice that my visual fields are pulsing with my heart beat. I have had MRI and eye exams by ophtalmologist and neuro-oftalmologists including ERG and VEP and nothing has been found. I have no head-aches and have never used any illegal/recreational drugs. What could be the cause of my problems? Am I going blind? I suffer from nearsightedness, my glasses are about -4. This is awful, I cannot drive or watch tv anymore. My doctors tell me to see a shrink, but I am not anxious, stressed or depressed, any more than anybody would be given the circumstances.

[Gaucho25]

A related discussion, MS, Lyme, Weird Symptoms, No diagnosis yet was started.

[BillyGo]

I just wanted to mention something that has helped me cope with floaters, dots, jumpy vision, etc. etc.  I used to be very paranoid and waking up with these visual disturbances and facing the day was always stressful.  I was a mess, basically.
     I called every eye doctor in the phone book and pretended I was doing a paper for class and asked questions about floaters because I wanted every opinion.  I was obsessive.  My eyes are filled with floaters.
     But, eye doctors tell us it's no big deal and just dismiss it...so what are we to do?  We have to live with it and move on.  Otherwise it effects our lives and the people around us.  Should we just curl up in a fetal position?
     I went to a therapist, talked about it and he recommended a book that has helped me.  The title is silly, but the book helped.  It's from Albert Ellis:  How To Stubbornly Refuse to Make Yourself Miserable About Anything.  Yes, Anything.
     Do I still get frustrated?  Yes.  But, I am so much better than I used to be.  I have bought a house, gotten married and have three dogs.  We're not perfect and life isn't perfect and it's not supposed to be.  Floaters, visual snow and their side effects are frustrating.  There are people alot worse off in life, just take a look around.  Check out websites trying to raise money for sick children, so many other things.  
     Just some thoughts.  We have two choices...try to make things better or feel sorry for ourselves.  The easy choice is to feel sorry.  Good luck, everyone, I know it's not always easy.  ~Bill

[Spaceman4]

Hi Sylvia,

You are not alone.  I am 43 and have had similar visual disturbance since 2001.  I also have parethesias (numbing, tingling).  Doctors found nothing wrong with the eye.  Since then I have found out two things:

1.  I have hypothyroidism (not too bad, borderline)
2.  I have celiac disease (an allergy to gluten - wheat, barley, rye, and derivatives).

My doctor mentioned to me I could have ocular migraines.  However, it is constant, worse in the morning.  For me, I think at least part of it is food allergies.  I've been testing food and it appears that cheese might worsen ny vision.  I think any gluten, even trace amounts, can cause the paresthesias.  Anyway, my point is, you might want to look at an allergy source.  Good luck-

[robdawg828]

Hey Sylvia,

   Sorry for taking so long long to reply.  I'm 25.  I also have problems with High BP. Maybe it's related.  How bad is your BP?  I currently looking into secondary causes of my high bp, because I'm young and in reasonable shape.  Maybe it's all tied together.  How's everything going?  Did you find an answer yet?

[concerenedmother]

Hi there ,

Carol gave me your name and I was wondering if you needed a name of a doctor in Michigan that specializes in lyme.  There are not to many.  Go to the Michigan lyme website and contact the person for the county closest to you and they can set you up with a doctor.  Also heard you are in a band?  I'm a music teacher and hope that you can get some help so you can keep on rockin!

Amy

[schimdog]

Hey thanks carol that's very helpful.  I'm definetly getting tested for lyme disease asap.