Split second loss of vision, like a quick blink.

Posted , 19 users are following.

Hello, as in the title, I was reaching up earlier to pull a tack out of the ceiling, and I experienced a very quick loss of vision, like a very fast blink, I can only describe it as a light flickering during a storm.

I don't get migraines, I had an eye test about 3 months ago and there were no problems, I'm a bit short sighted but that's about it.

I've never had it before, I don't really get any problems such as overactive floaters. I do sometimes see a tiny speck of blue light, but that's not often, and slight flashes now and again were mention to the optician.

I'm wondering if it's something I need to revisit the optician about? I also suffer from anxiety so this is something I will probably worry about.

3 likes, 60 replies

60 Replies

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  • Posted

    First I would go to your GP and get blood pressure etc checked.. ask for a referral to an Ophthalmologist an eye specialist and Optician is not a doctor. Better to get checked to rule out illness. 
    • Posted

      Ok thanks for the advice. It's making my anxiety pretty bad. I've never had eye problems, and my blood pressure was fine when checked 3 to 4 months ago. Like I said it was quicker than a blink, I was hoping it was a light flicker but I doubt it was. I will see a GP about this, thanks for the advice. Struggling to keep calm at the moment.
    • Posted

      when I went for an eye  check for floaters, I was  told they were not

      a problem ,but if I had any flashing lights. to have eye check

      immediately .Could be Glaucoma . 

    • Posted

      I don't get flashing lights as such, just a rare small speck of light. That was addressed when I had my eye check up about 3 months ago and the optician said there was nothing to be concerned about as my eyes were healthy.
  • Edited

    Sorry if this seems trivial to some by the way, as a big sufferer of anxiety, things like this can really take over and bring about a panic attack. Others have suggested that it may have been merely a blink as a result of something going in my eye, or even because I was reaching up and head my head tilted back, it could have been movement or lack of blood. I will still get it checked out just in case, like I said previous though, I have no history of eye problems other than being short sited, and I had an eye test 3 months ago and my eyes appeared healthy. Please let me know if anybody has experienced something similar though.  
    • Posted

      You have given yourself  a load of reasons for what you think was  your momentary lapse ,why have bothered asking us for our opinions,

      which we have given,and you don't like, What more do you want ??

      None of us have eye problems until it happens

    • Posted

      I haven't given myself reasons, I am repeating other suggestions that I have been given. I came here to look for people who have experienced something similar, and what the outcome was Jacqueline, I am not overriding anybody else's opinion, I have taken your advice and decided to get it checked out. I'm not trying to waste anybody's time, I suffer from anxiety quite badly, I do have a condition unfortunately, so things like this will burn away at my mind, so I would like various experiences from different people.
    • Posted

      Try and do what you need to do to relieve anxiety. Breathing and distraction. If it was only this one event and it a mere few seconds, I doubt very much that is really anything to worry about. However to reassure yourself and to be on the safe side.. go to your GP and have him check you over and if he still thinks it's worth looking into then he will give you a referral.  You may want to talk to your mental health support perhaps the anxiety is in fact the issue and not the eyes. 
    • Posted

      Dont feel bad..i totally get the anxiety,i hope you get some relief from the worry over this soon.Fingers crossed you can get some answers and you dont have to worry any more.
    • Posted

      Not harsh Lee, but none of us are proffesionals ,just trying to get

      help or suggestions I saw an eye consultant yesterday ,My 

      pain is unbelievable, He was no help, and prescibed a drug which was

      withdrawn from all pharmasists in September.Does anyone have an answer to my problem.?NO   

    • Posted

      I might add, that I suffer from anxiety and depression due to all my 

      body malfunctions ,and I see an advisor who helps me to cope with 

      myself, as I have no one, but myself. Believe me, if I only had an eye problem, I would be very happy.You don't always get the answers

      that you are looking ,or hoping for on these forums, so it is a fact 

      of life that we all let off steam sometimes due to the frustration

      of not getting better, or help  You just pressed my button. or my steam

      release valve .Nothing personal really ,,but my eye pain is off the

      Richter  scale  

    • Posted

      Not so much unfriendly as frustrated  having seen an eye consultant

       for about four minutes after waiting  almost two hours and been treated with a prescription for a drug that was withdrawn from the market 

      and yes I have tried to contact the consultant's secretary and hit 

      the answer phone 

    • Posted

      Very sorry about that, my mam used to have chronic eye pain following neuralgia. Hope you get answers soon.
    • Posted

      First offering was the Herpes virus ,eye drops given which caused burning

      and stinging ,went back to the clinic, herpes vrus ruled out ,new decision for Dry eye  ,differnt drops. which agin I was allergic to, because of the 

      preservative bas ,more drops without preservative, same problem 

      stinging and burning Plus there are three white "marks " on the edge

      of the cornea  I asked the consultant what they were, and was brushed

      aside with the comment ""It's nothing that we recognise "" end of

      conversation .So,I am back to square one ,in a lot of pain with no resolution and seemingly no one cares I  have found that Paracetamol

      helps with the pain ,but the problems are .I daren't drive very far. as

      the eye starts pouring . Light ,and in particular sunlight causes a major problem  It is at hte moment streaming and hurting big time, and no

      one will answer the phone 

    • Posted

      I have found so much incompatancy in the medical field.i have found it takes 6 trips for the same problem to even get any answers and half the time they are guessing . Doesn't make one have much trust in the health care field.
    • Posted

      This started 4 weeks ago .three emergency eye clinic visits, one G.P

       visit ,three different pharmasists fo r eye drop suggestions ,and the eye

      consultant yesterday .WHERE next ??? I think after such an effort on my

      part to get help, there isn't any

    • Posted

      Im going through about the same thing with a female problem ive had for 7 months 4 doctors and none of them agree.pretty costly as far as stress,money and feeling awful..i hope you feel better soon.
    • Posted

      It's the patronising attitude that gets me .The consultant didn't listen

      to me at all, as I tried to explain that it was the white marks that I was

      concerned about, he couldn't or wouldn't give me an answer  I spent four

      hours in the hospital and £20 on taxis for nothing except 5 minutes of his couldn't care less  attitude,  

    • Posted

      Ah Lee if  only, but I can't see that is going to happen for any of us 

      A little  common courtesy ,and a friendly face might help,

    • Posted

      You might want to ask for a referral to a Neurologist, you may find that you are suffering from a Migraine or there are other reasons for your pain there are a number of neurological reasons for eye pain and these need to be investigated if you are suffering pain and not always detected during a normal eye examination. Don't give up and push for answers and don't let the doctors brush you off.  
    • Posted

      If you pain becomes unbearable park your butt in the emergency room and demand to have someone take your pain seriously. I hope you get to the bottom of this and feel better soon.
    • Posted

      Iwon't go into the day Iv'e had chasing a tube of drops  ,well two different

      ones.The outcome from one is, that The pain has gone from plus 10 to 1

      The other tube is still being chased ,but what a relief not to have a streaming eye ,it was very bad and painful thi morning

      I Can't equate with the Migraine path, as I never get headaches 

      at all. I think the eye consultant has it nailed with the Dry Eye

      syndrome,See how it goes .fingers crossed. I would just like a release

      from a couple of my problems ,this eye one in particular I seem to attract

      diseases that are incurable.

    • Posted

      Oh glad to hear your eye is better.I have multiple issues also that all caus anxiety as they always have stmptoms People just cant relate unless they have experianced a silmilar situation.Dont get much empathy with my situations from friends or family and quite frankly i find it maddening and upsetting.I really would love to tell them what i think,but they probably would never speak to me again.
    • Posted

      i feel like its something else but everything's medical related. I know i didn't blink but it was as if i did quickly.. And black. You're the first to put it the way I experience. Its random but happens over a period of time more than once then I forget about it.

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