Retinal Detachment or just Flashes of Light in the Eye
82How to know if you have retinal detachment.
Lisa was finishing her last day of work before her long-awaited vacation. She'd been looking forward to this cruise with her husband for some time now and really cherished the thought of the rest and relaxation ahead of her. Then it happened. Suddenly she saw flashes of light in her left eye and the appearance of a lot more floaters than usual. She knew the signs. She'd had it before in her right eye. It was the beginning of retinal detachment, and she also knew time was of an essence in getting to her ophthalmologist for speedy treatment. He took her right in and treated her eye as it was retinal detachment as she had feared. He sent her home to rest, but she went on the cruise anyway. I chuckled when I heard that. Said she could rest better on the cruise than at home. After all, at home there was always too much to do to rest.
What is the Retina and Where is it Located?
The retina is a delicate light-sensitive membrane in the back of the eye that sends messages to the brain by way of the optic nerve. Underneath it is the choroid, a layer of blood vessels that provides nutrients and oxygen to the retina. Detachment happens when the retina pulls away from the choroid.
Warning Signs In the Eye
- Flashes of light in the eye with no pain.
- Sudden increase of floaters.
- Curtain-like appearance closing over vision.
- Suddenly blurry vision.
If you have any of these warning signs, check with an ophthalmologist as soon as possible to see if it is the beginning of retinal detachment. If so, quick treatment could save your eyesight. If it's not, you will have peace of mind just knowing and will likely be encouraged to get checked annually as you age when retinal detachment becomes more prevalent.
Some Causes of Retinal Detachment
- Extreme nearsightedness.
- Occurrence after some eye surgeries.
- May occur with diseases like diabetes (diabetic retinopathy) or sickle cell anemia.
- With facial or eye injury.
If the above symptoms are due to retinal detachment, reattachment of the retina by an eye surgeon is necessary and the sooner the better. Waiting to see what will happen and hoping it will go away on its own is very dangerous thinking and may result in permanent loss of vision. So getting it checked out and getting treatment is crucial.
Treatment
There are currently several possible treatments:
- Reattaching the retina with laser photocoagulation which is a method of sealing off leaky blood vessels using a laser.
- Injecting silicone oil into the eye to keep the retina in place.
- Pneumatic retinopexy similarly injects a bubble of gas into the eyeball that presses against the retina to keep it in place.
- Cryotherapy (or freezing) will permanently reattach the retina.
While researching this topic after hearing Lisa's story, my cousin wrote that she was having some of these symptoms and got an appointment with an ophthalmologist to see what the diagnosis would be. It turned out that hers was not retinal detachment, but she'll be checked yearly to see if there are any changes. She was so relieved!
So my advice to everyone is to get checked immediately if you get any of these warning signs. Better safe than sorry.
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Hi Maria,
I had some trouble in the last couple of days and thus did some research, and also saw an opthalmologist today. As you get older, it's normal to get more floaters, what I think you mean by spots. Some people like me have a lot of them. It's normal and laser surgery for something like that is controversial. Some people are advocating therapy with a "YAG" laser, but my opthalmologist said there is not much data on efficacy or safety yet. To tell the truth, there's not much treatment at all available for floaters. The good thing is that most people get used to them and stop seeing them so much. Apparently they can also dissolve by themselves. I think you should just keep an eye on it as this article suggests. See whether the floaters increase very much over the months and years. I wouldn't even think about surgery!
Hi, I am 21. It's been three months since I have been seeing these spots in my eyes. They appear almost everyday, every two or three hours. This started first when I saw streaks of zig-zag patterns of light for a few seconds followed by a strong headache, for about half an hour. I don't see these zig-zag patterns anymore. Now I see spots in my vision. Also, at times I have a sharp piercing pain in the left side of my head, and many a times its just a dull headache which continues throughout the day at intervals. And the spots in vision happen too often.
How is this to be interpreted?
Wow, Mariaa, your symptoms don't sound good to me, but I'm not an ophthalmologist, so I'd suggest you go see your doctor soon to see if you need an appointment with this kind of specialist. It could be nothing, but hearing that from a professional would give you a lot of comfort. I wish you well.
Hi Mariaa, what you are describing, reminds symptoms of a migraine. Nothing really serious, but you should visit neurologist.
Maira problem may be a migrane.
I was 17 just 1 week away from starting my freshman year of college, and college sports when I found out that I had retina detatchment...I started noticing that I couldnt see out of my peripheral vision.I told my eye doctor a few months before that i couldnt see out of it, and she did some tests...all she said was that it was probably my contacts....I went back again back... because I still couldnt see and she did the same tests again...and this time she actually looked in my eyes and found 2 HOLES inside my eye. She told me that I needed surgery IMMEDIATELY, so i went to a retina specialist,and he did more tests and looked in my eyes also...I found out that I had SEVERAL holes in my eyes...My retinas in both my eyes were detached, and I could have gone BLIND within weeks or months. So later that night i went into surgery and my dr repaired both eyes. He inserted a gas bubble in my right eye, andmy left eye just needed laser. The right eye had more extensive damage then he thought so surgery took longer. Now just 4 months after surgery...i still see flashes of light. but he said they arent detached, my vision is still blurry, and i also see double vision because he added a buckel in my right eye. I may have to go back into surgery in 5 months to take out the buckel if my double vision doesnt improve. After surgery was very painful, I felt very sick,almost throwing up... and had a HUGEEE headache from the pain in my eyes. I was glad to take the award of being his youngest patient though :) lol
Blake
21 years old
Hi Maria,
I experienced a deattached retina last summer. I waited to long to have anything done and before you know it my vision was gone. Unfortunately my vision has not gotten much better. Is it just going to take some time for it to come back or am I going to stay with poor vision the rest of my life? And my second question for you is could this happen in my good I also?
I just had surgery because of a detached Retina overlooked by an eye doctor 4 months before I could get a referral to an opthomologist, it was pretty bad by the time I got to the surgeon. It's been a month and I have had nothing but pain, everyday, migraine type headaches constant, went back to the opthomologist he said my pressure was up, gave me medicine that caused me multitudes of other problems. They used the oil and I am ready to have it removed because I cannot take this anymore, the pain is that bad. I hated the surgery and would not have it again
I just had surgery because of a detached Retina overlooked by an eye doctor 4 months before I could get a referral to an opthomologist, it was pretty bad by the time I got to the surgeon. It's been a month and I have had nothing but pain, everyday, migraine type headaches constant, went back to the opthomologist he said my pressure was up, gave me medicine that caused me multitudes of other problems. They used the oil and I am ready to have it removed because I cannot take this anymore, the pain is that bad. I hated the surgery and would not have it again
Sorry to hear of your retinal detachment, Sidney, Blake and Myra. Seems age has little to do with this ailment of the eye. Late last year I spoke to my optometrist about what I thought could be the beginning of r. detachment, but it was not thankfully. Hopefully all of you can get some definite relief and a good outcome.
When I stare on light for a few minutes and close my eyes, I see a light. Is it dangerous? And i started seeing floaters when I looked in the light for quite a time. I don't wanna go surgery, are there any options if by any chance I have Retina Detachment?
Hi I have had two eye surgeries in my life one for crossed eyes next I had a clear lense extraction done about a month ago. basically the same thing as caterack surgery but they gave me a lense for my severe myopia nearsightedness of a -30... I have bad floaters also. There isnt much u can do for that. I have bad headaches now, and wear bifocal contacks. no age doesnt matter I am 24 :)...but hope this helps.
I have been reading all your comments.Time is of the essence. I have had a bubble in my left eye as well as a buckle in place. The buckle really was a life saver to me . Usually done correctly buckle's arent removed for any reason. its a lifetime thing. I still get debris cleanup in my left eye which shouldnt be confused with floaters. I have a toric implant as well 20/15 vsion and have had eye correction surgery in my right one.
I pretty much went through it all cryotherapy, sclera buckle laser treatment cataract surgery which is caused by the steroid drops We cant avoid taking. right now I wear reading glasses only and I am regularly checked in both eyes. The surgeon you choose is highly important to your sight returning close to normal. Thanks
I am 15 and woke up with my right eye blurry and I can't read something without it looking Blurry and I have a faint headache but if I did have floaters how would they look and how visible
maria bushra 2 years ago
hi!
i am very anxious as i am having small spots infront of my eyes 2-3 weeks before.they are 3or 4 in number but troublesome when i see the sky especially. i consulted to a doctor , he advised me for laser surgery,took second opinon he said no intervention is needed right now. what to do?