"Flicker" in peripheral vision when moving eyes.
Posted , 21 users are following.
I am starting to freak out. a few days ago when looking in the fridge i noticed the lights in the fridge flicker as i moved my eyes from the top of the fridge to the bottom. I retraced the eye movements and realized it wasn't actually the lights flickering it was my eyes making it appear as though it was. Ever since then i have noticed the "flickering" when i move my eyes and i think i've seen it without moving them aswell, always in my peripheral vision. The best way i can describe it is it looks like a sudden flicker of a lightbulb aka it is a dark flicker. I hope someone can help me as i am afraid it may be retinal detachment
2 likes, 85 replies
zusza1 Munekun
Posted
Hi yes this is similar like my situation
But I see it on the side of anything I look at it's like looking in the sun and then I look away huh
Or a light bulb lol
weezy94 zusza1
Posted
I have the exact same thing. It's like a brief flash of a light bulb in my peripheral vision. It could be a pressure phosphene.
tracie33979 Munekun
Posted
Hi Munekun, I know it's been a few years since you posted, but I stumbled across your post trying to find answers to what I am experiencing. What you explain sounds exactly what I have been experiencing, and I am super worried! Did you find out the cause of what you were experiencing, or did it end up going away? Thanks so much, I would really appreciate it!
PanPilot tracie33979
Posted
Hi Tracie... there's no need to panic, but I would have your eyes looked at without delay, just in case. The flicker at the side is probably normal due to PVD, but it can go hand-in-hand with other problems in a few people. It did with me - see my previous post; I had to have a tear in my retina lasered.
My side flickering faded after about a year, I think the brain just learns to ignore it ! If you start to see a shadow at the side which doesn't go away, you must, must, must, get it looked at. Also, if you get a sudden large increase in black 'floaters', as I did, get someone to check you over.
Don't be frightened of having an eye exam, it doesn't hurt in the slightest, and in a lot of places it's completely free. If nothing else it will put your mind at rest !
Hope this helps... please let me know how you get on.
tracie33979 PanPilot
Posted
Hi PanPilot, thanks so much for your reply! I am very familiar with the small flickers of light and flashes, that are due to retina problems, as my husband had a detached retina last year, and his first one 13 years ago. What I am experiencing is not a flicker of light in my my peripheral vision that is not actually there. I am noticing when I am looking down doing something, such as cleaning my kitchen, cooking, or even sometimes putting on makeup, the lightbulbs above me look like they are flickering for a few seconds. But I know that it is just me, as nobody else seems to notice it when I ask! It is very strange, and freaks me out! I had my eyes dilated and examined by my husbands retina specialist two months ago and he said everything looks good. I do have a lot of floaters, but I have had them for years. The doctor said that it is due to my vitreous fluid clumping up and pulling away from the retina, which tends to happen as you get older. Some people see the floaters and some don't.
PanPilot tracie33979
Posted
There is one thing which may be a factor. Bear with me here ! If you already know this, well, sorry..!
There are two types of cell on your retina, 'rods' and 'cones'. Very approximately, cone cells 'see in colour', see but only work slowly, rod cells 'see in black and white', but work very fast. You have a concentration of cone cells in your central vision, which is why you see things clearly when you actually look at them. Away from centre, there are more rods and fewer cones. There is a good evolutionary reason for this; since the rod cells in your side vision work very quickly, you can see movement to the side more readily. So, in days gone by, you could see any sabre-tooth tiger creeping up on you. Or whatever else...
The result is that these fast responding rod cells can see flickering which the slow responding cone cells can't. Sitting here now, if I look away 60 degrees or so, I can plainly see my computer screen flickering in my side vision. Some types of lamps supplied by AC flicker at 50 or 60 times a second, especially fluorescent types. I can see this in my side vision, but not looking directly. It's quite normal, a good thing even. It may be that you are noticing it more because you are concerned?
One other thing was explained to me. In the process of vitreous detachment (which, as you say, is quite normal), the vitreous can tug on the rod cells when you move your eyes side-to-side which can fool the brain into 'seeing' movement. Once the vitreous detaches completely it should stop. Which in my case it did after about a year or eighteen months.
tracie33979 PanPilot
Posted
Wow, you definitely sound like you have a lot of knowledge about this! That is so interesting, as I have never heard of the rod and cone cells! It happens periodically, and it's not just the light bulbs above looking as though they are flickering, but like everything around me vaguely dims in and out, or flickers, and just for a couple seconds. Do you did have vitreous detachment? Did you experience anything like this?
PanPilot tracie33979
Posted
Well, I'm no expert, so please don't think that. Yes I did (still do) have PVD, which was the cause of my retinal tear. I'm also one of those sad people who have to understand in detail what is going on, so I did a bit of reading around the subject once my eye was repaired. Coincidentally, Mrs. PanPilot works in the field, and has a thick book on ophthalmology... I admit that I am fascinated, the eye is actually a very complex thing. If you search for the term 'rods and cones' there are lots of diagrams and illustrations.
I haven't encountered the 'fading in and out' symptom that you describe. I did have something which occurred when my PVD first happened, but it was more of a sensation of flashing zig-zag lights at the side of my eye in a crescent shape, which popped up when I moved my eye side to side. It faded in a few seconds. That's how I know about the danger of a shadow - it was hammered into me that if this became a sensation of a shadow I must get attention immediately, as it's the first sign of a retinal detachment. No doubt your husband can tell you all about that!
tracie33979 PanPilot
Posted
heidi68786 tracie33979
Posted
rishiaeri Munekun
Posted
I went through all the replies as i was looking for some answers. I am experiencing flickering/wave of light as i move my right eye suddenly from left to right. The flickering light moves from right to left side in a wave and then goes away as the movement stops. This all started when i got hit in the eye with football about 4-5 months ago and recently i have been experiencing increased flickering. so, I went to ophthalmologist a week ago. She did a dilated retinal exam and said that nothing was wrong with the eye.
Now as i went through all your comment i recon it is PVD but i am worried that its been months and still i am seeing the flickering.
Can someone with same experience tell me how much time it takes to stop seeing such thing. Sorry for asking seemingly stupid question but i am worried and tired of seeing the flickering as it makes me constantly think something is wrong with me eye.
PanPilot rishiaeri
Posted
I hope this helps!
rishiaeri PanPilot
Posted
anyways i am planning on having regular checkups to detect any serious issues.
thanks once again.
PanPilot rishiaeri
Posted
I found a good approach is to distract yourself with something which needs your deep concentration, like maybe doing a puzzle. It also helps with my tinnitus !
rishiaeri PanPilot
Posted
If yes what can we do about them?
I have recently started seeing alot of floaters. I went to doc also but she said retina is fine.