Flashes/Flickering for months
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hey everyone! I signed up here in hopes that someone experienced the same thing as me, as I can find close to nothing online.
3 months ago, I first noticed the flashing lights. They appear when the room is dark or dimly lit, after closing my eyes for a few minutes (for example when falling asleep). When I open them, flashing lights appear in both eyes, fading after a few seconds. Then my vision returns to normal until I close and open them again. I am fine while looking into light or bright screens. It only appears when it's dark. There are multiple flashes in a row, almost like a flickering, bright light or the flash of a camera going off a few times.
I got it checked out by an optometrist and got a CT done. Nothing. I am on medication (lamictal for Bipolar and cymbalta for depression, but I started with cymbalta after the flashes started) I checked with my psychiatrist and he said that this can't be a side effect. I also wear glasses but never had problems with them.
Any help would be appreciated.
0 likes, 1 reply
karen51466 anna71373
Posted
Hi Anna, I started seeing flashing light in one eye two days before thanksgiving. I called an eye Dr office the next day and the woman told me I needed to see a specialist immediately. She gave me a name and they saw me the next day. I ended up having Vitreous gel tears. I decided to have laser surgery four days after Thanksgiving even though the Dr said i had only a 1-10 % chance of retinal detachment. There are different causes of this and is common in 40% of people over 50. I've never heard of this before and nobody in my family including my 90 year old mom has this issue. I'm still in recovery and still see the flashing. Go to a specialist if you can, not a regular eye Dr.