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Sparkles, Afterimages, Photophobia

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Murdoc77
Murdoc77

About 2 months ago I noticed a small black spot in my vision that, unlike a floater, is in a fixed position relative to where I'm looking. I saw an optometrist who did a dilated eye exam, and he found nothing.

Just days after the test, I started experiencing afterimages that are more intense than usual, as well as flashes of light in and around the center of my vision. On top of that, when looking at a bright light and then closing my eyes or looking away, I get dozens, sometimes hundreds of small, usually blue sparkles appearing in that afterimage. The sparkles last for a few seconds, then fade away. Red lights can cause hundreds or thousands of blue sparkles to appear, while a soft yellow light in a room will cause only dozens. This number varies with the intensity of the light and the color of the light I'm looking at. Looking outside also causes them.

Currently I'm also experiencing visual snow, something my doctor said I'd experience if I had giant cell arteritis. That doc appointment was for a headache I had for 6 months that never went away until 2 months ago, before seeing the eye doctor.

So, as you can imagine, I'm worried about having GCA, even though I'm about half the age that it usually occurs at, and if I do have it, it's the slowest progressive case of it I've heard of, so that's relieving as it means I probably don't have it. But still, the sparkles are there, with visual snow and high sensitivity to light.

Can anyone relate/help me out? I'd really like to get an idea of what could be causing these sparkles that appear inside afterimages, which are my main concern. Thanks.

0 likes, 1 reply

1 Reply

  • kim27383
    kim27383 Murdoc77

    Posted

    I would go to see an opthalmologist instead of an optometrist. They can do a flurosene angiogram and take pictures of the inside of your eye. They will be able to tell if the veins behind the eye are inflamed as well.
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