White flickering light after laser for retinal tear

Hello, I had surgery to repair a detached retina three weeks ago. For a few days before the surgery I had what I thought were minor eye problems, it just felt like there was something in my eye. That was fine until one night I suddenly had flashes in my right eye. After that I went to the emergency dept of the hospital. They identified a tear in the retina and admitted me to the hospital that day. This was a major shock. I had an operation next day which resulted in a gas bubble being inserted in my eye. I was posturing for around 10 days and after about two weeks the gas bubble disappeared. My sight is almost back to pre-surgery levels except for a slight shadow where I presume some damage was caused. About a week ago I started getting intermittent flashes on the periphery of my eye, along with light in the periphery of my eye when I go from light to dark. This light goes away after a couple of minutes. When I first got these I thought the whole thing was happening again and I ended back with my doctor. He examined my eye and said that everything looked ok with the retina and the flashes may happen for a few months. I have since been back for another check-up and the retina is ok but the flashes are still continuing. Hopefully they will reduce over time. Sometimes the flashes can give me a fright, it’s like someone taking your photo. It’s reassuring to see that I’m not the only one getting these flashes and I’m less worried that it’s a sign that the retina is detaching again. I’m grateful that this surgery is available as the alternative is losing sight in the eye. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories.

Hii Rose,

I underwent cataract surgery 2 months back of my left eye. After that floaters started appearing in front of my eye. I went to my retina specialist who said that there was a slight retinal tear and did the laser treatment.

After a few days of the treatment flashes of light started appearing again. It matches with your description. It feels like it appears in the lower periphery of my eye. Again, I went to my doctor who on examination said that there was another retinal tear. I went for laser treatment this time too. But still these flashes of light won't go. I dont understand why it is happening.

Although, I dont feel I am losing peripheral vision and I hope that you too are not losing it.

I'm happy I found a forum that's still active. I'm 17 and have had multiple retinal tears, 3 in one eye (4 technically because one teared further) and one in the other all in the past 6 months, could any of you help me find out what could cause it from your own experience. I do have high myopia (-6.25 and -5.75 in the left) but its just really getting me down. I have all sorts of crazy flashes so its hard to tell which is because of a tear and whats because of the laser. Any help would be appreciated!

Also, in regards to the laser does anyone else that has had it feel pain in their eye similar to that of the laser? I can't describe it but almost like random shock waves of pain

Have you had any resolution to this? I'm also seeing what seems to be a scar from my laser barricade procedure. It's been there since the procedure two years ago and hasn't changed since then. It's dark in bright light, and light in a dark room, and often looks shimmery.

hey! I had laser treatment, 34 shots on a pheripheral hole 6 days ago . Every time I blink or I open my eyes after they have been closed I see a big black circle on the side of my vision, it dissapear when I move my eyes a little bit. did you or anyone else have the same, im only 25 and so scared

i am also having side effects after the laser , i had one tear and then laser a few days later she found 4 more tears and did more laser. i am so anxious!

i have this almost strobe type light that comes and goes on the side along with tons of pepperflake type floaters. i am so scared of losing my vision and having the retinal surgery! i have also noticed i feel like occasionally i feel my eyeball kind of pulsating, anyone else ?? I am about 3 weeks out from laser.

Ive literally been searching for months for other people who have the same symptoms as me! I got a laser treatment done about over a year ago to fix weak spots of lattice in my retina. I went because i was having a small flash in the upper part of my vision. Well since it's been a year i still have that small flash in my eye but also I have really bad shimmering lights in the bottom of my peripheral vision and I feel like i maybe lost some vision in the same spot as well because when i hold something up to that part of my eye, the object that I'm holding looks dark grey or looks like I'm looking through dark smoke. Or when I walk outside on a sunny day all i see is black in the bottom of my vision in my left eye. Every time I go back to the retina specialist he says my retinas look good so it just adds more anxiety on to me cause i feel like a burden every time i feel like there's something wrong cause no one around me understands what I'm going through with my vision.

Hey Guys, I hope you all are doing fine

I am facing the same problem of shimmering and flickering, I had undergone a barricade laser for my lattice degenerative eye. These shimmering literally can't be ignored. I am facing this trouble from past one week. I'll keep updating about myself in this forum. I hope you all get fine.

Hi Rose and everyone following on here so interesting to read this post, am wondering if anyone has advice or reassurance for me please. My left eye has always been blind, three weeks ago I had millions of tiny black fixed spots and a huge black ink swirl suddenly appear in my vision. A & E where vitreous detachment with significant haemorraghe and two retinal tears diagnosed. Treated and sealed with laser. Three weeks on developed flashing lights like lightening in my eye, returned to emergency eye clinic last Friday a new retinal tear this time peripherally rather than centrally. Dr tried to laser it, couldn't see properly for the blood clots in my eye and also because I had cataract surgery years ago and around the implanted lens is now calcified and opaque. 6.5 hrs on Monday seeing a retinal specialist who has sealed the new tear with laser retinopexy. Omg it involved the peripheral nerves which also had to be lasered excrutiatingly painful. My eye especially on the outer side is red and inflammed, because my pupil was difficult to dilate it needed stronger drops and its still partly dilated over 48 hrs later. The flashing lightening remains. All in all my vision is cloudy and eye very painful. Having had three tears I asked if I was at risk of more, this has led to Dr putting in letter to my GP I was anxious about further tears, of course I'm anxious! this is my only eye and its now had three blastings with laser to repair tears. Thank you for reading hope everyone is doing ok.