White flickering light after laser for retinal tear

It is quite surprising that the literature is silent on this. However, do a search on retinal lasering or photocoagulation with scotoma as a side effect. I found some mention of this. I definitely believe the lesions from the laser burns are the cause of the shimmering. However, it seems in the great majority of cases it improves.

Tom thank you for your research - I just wish i was warned about this before i did the procedure.

I think i'm going to upload a video to youtube called "retinal laser complications" - maybe it will save one starfish from suffering like I/we are.

just watched it! great job! hopefully this will help someone who is deciding on getting this done and asking the right questions. many of us on the board have had this surgery done this year which is making me think maybe it is something with the laser and not surgeon skill or could be both

Thank you Dana

I tried to discuss this with someone that is in charge of safety in equipment in the opthamology industry and he felt as though it was impossible for the laser to cause issues. I just think we needed a voice so thank you for watching the video, and you may be right as i think the lasers are too strong. I had a procedure done 3 years ago with no issue but now every treated spot has a flasher - it needs to be addressed.

Dana - may i ask what country you live in?

colorado so rose's original post was a couple of years ago i posted in january and just recently more people have found this site and we all seem to have the same thing in our peripheral vision. this is why im not out ruling something is not right with the lasers they are using

Hi Clayton, sorry it took this long for me to answer. Direct damage to the cornea is unlikely to be why you have dry eye. It is conceivable that the laser would damage the corneal epithelium (the layer of cells lining the outer surface of the cornea), but this would result only in temporary irritation that should resolve in days. It is also conceivable that the laser would damage the corneal endothelium (the layer of cells lining the inner surface of the cornea), but this would result in permanent clouding of the cornea, which you'd feel as blurring of vision rather than as dry eye.

Dry eye is not listed as a side effect of retina laser procedures, but I can think of a theoretical way how it could happen. Dry eye can be the result of insufficient tear production, which can be caused by numbing of the cornea for any reason. One way the cornea might theoretically be numbed by retina laser procedures is via damage to the long ciliary nerves, which pass just behind the retina before reaching the cornea. They also supply the pupil dilator muscle so if the pupil of your lasered eye is smaller than the other one then this is likely to be the cause of your dry eye.

The flashes you see in a very dark room could be traction being exerted by the extraocular muscles (muscles of eye movement) through the sclera to your retina. If this is the case then you should notice them in your other eye as well. This is a known cause of flashes in this situation and is normal. Otherwise, it could be your brain trying to fill in the blank spots left by the burnt retina. I'm pretty sure this is why I see flashes in my right eye when I move my eyes when looking at a plain white wall.

I believe that retina lasers, although not perfect, do help a lot of people avoid blindness. I do not feel angry at anyone that I have these symptoms--not my retina specialist, and not the laser manufacturers. The lasers are supposed to destroy some retina to effectively protect the rest of it, especially the macula (the center of the retina, which sees detail). I guess it's just the way our brains fill in the blank spots left by the burnt retina that is causing these symptoms for us, but not for others. This is a small price to pay for not having to blind, and though it took me a while to realize it, I no longer regret having had the procedure done.

And thank you for suggesting sunglasses, they do help a lot with the shimmering.

HI chiccolite

Thank you for your well articulated response. Although i agree with certain aspects of your comments my main concern with the procedure is a lack of informed consent. Perhaps you can be the genesis of change in that regard - at least with respect to your patients. I guess the thing is that most if not all of the opthamologists that i have seen (7 so far) all refuse to believe that these flashing lights were caused by the laser, and again perhaps you can be the bearer of knowledge in that regard and maybe find a way to write that into the textbooks.

With respect to the glasses i did find a place where you can purchase prescription glasses that are darkened to a #5 lense color (im nearsighted so i need them to drive / activities and i need them dark like the Hobart welding sunglasses). Thought you might be the best person to inform given your profession.

Sincerely, Clayton

Moderator comment: I have removed the link(s) directing to site(s) unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.

hey

im not sure how to pvt message (and im not sure why the moderator wont allow a link to a sunglass maker) but the name of the company is "Safevision, LLC" located in ST Louis USA"

hi! I have myopi. I had no symptoms like flashing.My retina specialist checked and noticed small old retinal tear with pigment formation.There was some blood on FFA.(Is this causes blurry vision?) I had laser treatment 2 months ago.My vision is changed.It is pale and blurry especially focusing away.Using phone computer and reading is really tiring.My eyes are tired all day.My doc told me that everything is ok,It takes nearly 6 months to heal.But This focussing problem is disturbing me.

I also have eye pressure and on my face.Is this vision problem permanent ?Does laser treatment cause permanent close vision prblems? Thank you

Hi guys, here's an update 2 months after my laser cerclage.

For about 4 weeks I had a very hard time dealing with my emotions about my visual symptoms, and intensely regretted having the procedure done despite understanding why it was necessary. But for the past 3 weeks I have been doing really well.

That's just how long it took for it to really sink in that (at least in my case) it would have been outright reckless to not have had the laser done because I did have textbook symptoms of retinal detachment again after my initial retinal detachment was repaired. Fortunately there was no actual retinal detachment, but I do not want to live in fear of every single flash I see possibly being a retinal detachment. I agree with mjcg, we are lucky that we live in a time where we can treat retinal tears and detachment quite effectively (even though we have these side effects), and that just a few decades ago there would have been nothing that could be done other than wait to go blind and hope that the other eye doesn't detach as well.

All my visual symptoms seem to be diminishing very gradually. There are now times when I look back a few hours when I must have entered the building after having been in bright sunlight and do not remember noticing the shimmering. When I do notice it, it's just a clear shimmering, not a white shimmering light that sort of blocks what's behind it. Whether this is because I'm used to it or because it's actually diminishing is not terribly important, I think. What matters is that I am in fact noticing it less. This goes for the shadows-when-I-blink and flashes-when-I-look-at-a-plain-white-wall as well. They're still there but they do not bother me nearly as much as they used to.

Hi Chiccolite how are your symptoms now regarding the laser flickering shimmering lights?

i look forward to the response but i can categorically say mine have not diminished at all and its been close to 11 months since the awful procedure that ruined my life - of which i was never warned of the complications. in fact i even asked about complications and was told there were no risks. Just a harmless preventative measure.

Instead i'm sure the "eye doctors" think - i saved a possible detachment so be happy - don't think about seeing shimmering lights for the rest of your life; you will eventually learn to ignore them - thats impossible; its effected me in all aspects of my life. Im scared of the sun for example - how is that helping me?

I firmly believe now that the use of lasers in all eye procedures should be highly regulated and all patients need to be verbally warned about these debilitating effects. This goes for all laser procedures including lasik, cataracts, floaters and retinal lasers - these doctors and operating beyond their comprehension. Chiccolite couldn't find this issue in his textbooks - thats because the laser manufacturers don't want to document this anywhere so that they limit their liability - don't for a minute think that they aren't aware to this life altering side effect but continue to promote this procedure for financial gain. And trying to sue a doctor is near impossible. I hope to one day file a class action lawsuit against the laser manufacturers.

Hi, it's been almost 6 months since my laser cerclage. The short answer is that I still have symptoms, but they've been improving very gradually, and they no longer affect my mood at all.

Now the details. I still see the flickering when going indoors after having been in sunlight for a while. There is no real way to quantify this, but I'd say my flickering these days is only 15% as bad as it was when it peaked several days after the cerclage. This applies to all my other symptoms, including the white flashes and the dark ring when opening my eyes after having closed them for several seconds. I did legit need antidepressants to get over the depression and am still on them, but right now my symptoms do not really bother me. At worst, they might pull my mood down by maybe 5%--none of this is scientific but I'm sure these numbers are helpful to you guys anyway.

Overall, I don't feel like there is a mental struggle to stay happy. It's simply that the symptoms just aren't that bad anymore and that I understand that right now, lasers are the best the human race has to prevent retinal detachments. I do wish more eye doctors knew about this side effect though so we can warn patients about it.

Also, just to be super clear about it, these past months have frankly been among the happiest times of my life so far and I don't feel like I even have to fake it despite the eye symptoms. My experience has been that it was hard to recover from the depression but after I recovered, staying happy has taken no effort at all.

Chiccolite

After all if this time have you figured out what causes the white shimmering light?

I think it has something to do with laser damaged rods/cones that occur within the peripheral field of view. Your thoughts would be appreciated, including if you ever think these symptoms will ever go away.

https://www.healio.com/ophthalmology/retina-vitreous/news/print/ocular-surgery-news-europe-edition/%7Bb2361f86-42c8-45c7-bf9b-ca2d1e6d8323%7D/methods-aim-to-decrease-laser-damage-in-treatment-of-retinal-choroidal-conditions

Actually the laser damages are documented but curiously enough, no investigator mentions the subjective (not the objective consequences on the retina) symptons: flickering, glimmering, heat waves, "electricity", white lights, etc and what is even more annoying no one indicates a treatment or course of action not to mention if this will subside or not, how long, etc, Who on earth is the scientist-ophtalmologist who can handle this and help us for Christ sake?

The fact that anyone has to go in antidepressants after what is touted as a safe procedure should be cause for alarm. I don't care what anyone tells themselves - this is a dangerous procedure and should only be performed in emergencies, and after patients are warned of the effects. This procedure is ruining lives - it has destroyed my life - i will regret it till the day i die, and no amount of antidepressants will help me endure the mental pain and anguish this has caused me and those on this forum.

The sad truth is there are thousands going through what we are experiences, and nothing is being done about it. We are the tip of the iceberg.

I kindly ask that anyone in Canada / USA to please watch my youtube video "Retinal Laser Complications" and post a comment. If we can find a common voice we can find a law-firm to represent us. The problem is all retinal specialists use retinal lasers, and are funded by the laser manufacturers, therefore they are useless in helping us because they cannot speak out against themselves. So only a class action lawsuit will stop the procedure.

Chiccolite - if you change your mind one day and see that this procedure is needlessly ruining lives, especially when its a preventative procedure, we would love to have you on our team. In the meantime i hope you can find a voice somewhere in your profession to find a way to warn patients.

I also started a facebook page - please join and maybe we can start figuring out what lasers were used on us as perhaps its a problem with the laser model, for example.

Search for this on Facebook:

"White Flashing Lights After Retinal Tear Laser Surgery"