Light orbs?

[KandiFloss]

Every now and again I see a strange light that appears for just a second. I don't have any problems with my vision and nor do I wear glasses, it's not a migraine either. Normally it's bright white, and only the size of a pin prick, but is really bright (almost like a single LED shone into my eye). Generally they are bright white, but I have had red and blue ones. Has anyone else ever had this? I don't want to ask my GP's opinion incase they put it on my medical history.

[Fray]

Although i am not a doctor, they are the symptoms of Retinal Detachment and i would advise that you consult with a doctor as it can be extremely painful and dangerous to you. Have you ever sustained injury to the eye area?

[FakePilot]

I have this too. I was checked twice for retinal detachment but both times it wasn't found. I noticed it the same time I noticed my floater "fleet", however the floaters may have been there before and I wasn't noticing them.

Funny stuff though. Sometimes in a dark room I'll jump from this bright little pinpoint. :)

I just live with it. It gets better with time.

[Loose rivets]

Confirm that this is in one eye only.

[Hawk]

Bad Girl, your symptoms are not necessarily retinal "detachment". There are other retinal conditions that can explain your symptoms. What you are experiencing may also be secondary to some other medical condition.

You do need to contact your GP.

[slim_slag]

I'd actually go to a high street optician and talk to them, they don't charge much more than £15 for a full eye exam. They spend all day looking in eyes and know their stuff. They will tell you whether to go to casualty, your GP, or just spend a lot of extra money on a pair of glasses.

[KandiFloss]

Thanks to all who have replied, I will see my GP. During my Class 1 renewal the doctor didn't say anything but I will get it checked out.

PS. 'Loose Rivets' - yes my right eye only

[FakePilot]

Sorry, I meant to add "go see your Doctor!!" And rule #1, never take medical advice from the Internet except "go see your doctor"

:O

[slim_slag]

Well, if you are in the States that makes more sense because over there every tom dick and harry is a doctor :)

In the UK you become an optician (think they are properly called optometrists now) after 3 years at uni and a year pre-reg training. Even a medical doctor is an undergraduate qualification.

All opticians do for four years is eyes. It's been a long time, but my recollection is doing perhaps 50 hours of opthalmology at med school. Quite a lot of that was watching a surgeon look down a microscope into somebody elses eye, boring and useless education or what.

The requirements for passing med finals is being able to turn your opthalmoscope on and pointing the correct bit at the patient. If you can see and describe the optic disc as a med student then you are in danger of being called for a distinction viva. You don't really need to be able to use an opthalmoscope properly until you do your MRCP, and very few GPs have done that.

Now that doesn't mean that all GP's are duffers at use of the opthalmoscope, because they aren't. But some are, and you don't know which ones when their receptionist makes the appointment.

Well, generalisations, but still pretty accurate.

I'd go see the optician. If I had a sore tooth I'd go to the dentist. If I had a sore arm I'd probably go to a physio. If I didn't have a clue I'd go to my GP, they are better at fixing people who don't have a clue than people with flashing lights in their eyes. After excluding anything really bad, I bet the GP sends the patient off to an optician. An optician can exclude things that are really bad and do a lot more too.

[7120]

It's not a retinal detachment. Your GP will be perplexed and send you to an Optometrist - who will also be perplexed. He will send you to an Ophthalmologist who is likely to tell you that it's this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entoptic_phenomenon

[Loose rivets]

I don't think it's that. Many threads on entoptic phenomenon in the past.

[KandiFloss]

Well i'm really confused now. I still have to go and see a doctor, but its difficult getting time off at the mo. Will let you know what they are when I do!

[gingernut]

Well i'm really confused now.

Yeh, I'm sorry, this can be a symptom of this site I'm afraid. (we have varying opinions, a reflection of our passion for knowledge:) , and it's sometimes difficult to be exacting without a patient sat in front of us.)

Reading between the lines, it doesn't sound like there is too much to worry about here. I understand your concern about the medical records issue, but your eyesight is very precious, so it's worth getting checked out, even if for your own peace of mind.

Perhaps slim's suggestion could be a starting point. Keep us informed.

[Dea Certe]

From time to time I get an aural display of lights in one eye. No pain or other symptoms. It's just a slight visual disturbance. The display only last a minute or so but then there's a slight headache around the eye for about 30 minutes. My GP suggests it might be a Silent Migraine.

I looked it up in Google. Too inept to post the link but you might give it a read.

Of course, do see your doctor. Mine seem to happen when I'm fatigued or stressed.

Dea

[Loose rivets]

In one eye? Try to correlate the symptom with a recent intake of citrous fruit. By recent, I mean five to fifteen minutes.

[2close]

Did these symptoms arise with a strange feeling of having been 'somewhere' for 72 hours, whereas everyone else tells you that you were in bed all the time, along with a sensation of having been subjected to weird medical experiments by funny little grey men with big black eyes and long, spindly arms?

Nothing to worry about, girl, you've been abducted by aliens; happens to me all the time, or so 'the voices' keep telling me........................

Seriously though; it's already been said but to emphasise:

Rule No.1 = Go see an optometrist and even back it up with a second opinion for peace of mind

Hope it all works out OK.

2close


PS. Before anyone else says it, I worry about me ALL the time!!