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I am a 36 year old female in good health. My problem is triggered by bright light and possibly by intense concentration. A squiggling static will enter my field of vision from either side, usually the right side. It starts small and gets bigger as it moves across my field of vision, and after 15 or 20 minutes it moves back to the side until it disappears. When it is directly in front, I can't see anything but static out of that eye. It is impossible to drive. I have had this problem for 3 years, once or twice a year. But it's happened each day for the last three days. It leaves me with a dull headache, but not what I have heard described as a migrane. Do these symptoms sound familiar? I appreciate your time.
In Reply to: Eyes--debilitating "static" moves across field of vision. posted by Sally on December 17, 2002 at 19:21:30:
You know I had the same phenom. The bright light looked like zzzzzz only vertical in the corner of my eyes. Usually it was first thing in the morning and then went away. I took a friend to an ophthamologist and just asked her dr. what he thought. He said it was a migraine. I only had it happen a very, few times. Have no idea what caused it or why it stopped.
In Reply to: Eyes--debilitating "static" moves across field of vision. posted by Sally on December 17, 2002 at 19:21:30:
Hi, Sally.
Listen to Sally (also). Could this be a hazard of the name?
What does your neurologist and ophthalmologist say?
Walt
In Reply to: Eyes--debilitating "static" moves across field of vision. posted by Sally on December 17, 2002 at 19:21:30:
It is not an eye but a brain issue. Your neurons are convulsing. It could be because of a variety of factors. It could happen after consuming something that perhaps contains a chemical which your brain reacts to. It has happened to me a number of times.
Science still does not fully understand this phenonmenon.
In Reply to: scintilating scotoma posted by Martin on December 19, 2002 at 17:30:36:
Thanks for that information, Martin. I've had tinnitus relentlessly since my hypothyroidism and Synthroid which I blame for everything. So, I guess it figures.
In Reply to: Eyes--debilitating "static" moves across field of vision. posted by Sally on December 17, 2002 at 19:21:30:
Sally,
I have had this for many years. I have heard it referred to as an aura, and as "ocular migraine." It lasts for about 20 minutes, and then I get the headache.
You're right, it's almost impossible to drive when this happens. It's also impossible to read. If I happened to be at work when it started, I was pretty useless.
You say you've been getting this for the last three days. Have you done anything different that might be triggering it? In my case, it seemed to be related to my hormonal shifts.
I did have a doctor check my eyes with an opthalmoscope once when it was happening, and he said that the blood vessels in my retina were constricted.
Carol B.
In Reply to: Re: scintilating scotoma posted by Sally (other) on December 20, 2002 at 09:39:37:
Hi, Sally.
In my opinion, you simply must stop just treating the tips of the iceberg. Both your thyroid and now your eye problem come from brain dysfunction. Since wellness will certainly help and cannot possibly harm, why not give it the old try?
Do not stop any conventional treatment until your symptoms are gone from the wellness and then only under your doc's care (6-12 months).
Let us know how you do.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Eyes--debilitating "static" posted by Carol B. on December 21, 2002 at 03:13:35:
Hi, Carol B.
I agree with every thing that your doc has said except for the "constricted" part. Migraine is defined as when the blood vessels lose their normal muscle tone and dilate uncontrollably. All conventional anti-migraine drugs are designed to constrict the arteries in the head.
This is also the mechanism for the "hot arms" solution to migraine--best applied during the aura.
You must have misunderstood what he said. Constricted arteries in the eye would cause dimming of vision or even temporary blindness, not what you are describing.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: scintilating scotoma (Archive in wellness.) posted by Walt Stoll on December 21, 2002 at 07:17:21:
Walt, thanks for your concern. Yours is a highly disciplined protocol and I just have to decide to climb to the top of that mountain. If I were to list all the improvements so far, they may be small but there are many. Thank you.
In Reply to: Re: Eyes--debilitating "static" (Archive in eyes.) posted by Walt Stoll on December 22, 2002 at 07:42:14:
Dr Stoll,
This physician examined my eyes during the aura, when I was having flashing zig zag lights and blind spots. He said the blood vessels appeared constricted.
He then pressed on my temples, and it stopped. But then I got a severe headache, and I was still trying to work...argh....
In Reply to: Re: scintilating scotoma (Archive in wellness.) posted by Sally on December 23, 2002 at 10:11:15:
Though I do appreciate the time and concern you've shown, I didn't write the above message of Dec 23. Maybe there's yet another "Sally" with the same problem. There aren't many of us. I had a blood test to check my thyroid last month and it showed normal function. I was very relieved to check this thread last night and see that I'm not the only one who has experienced this. When this happens, I have a huge amount of anxiety, wondering if when I open my eyes, will I be blind? And will this terrible light show go away? If it didn't I don't know what I'd do, it's so disorienting I can't even walk.
One of you suggested it could be caused by the introduction of a chemical. I reviewed the occurances and I can't think of anything that would have contributed. I regret that I am dabbleing with cigarettes again and I thought it could be one of the unnamed 19 carconigens that they add, but this has happened when I haven't smoked for two years. I'm confident I will beat this addiction once again. I drink beer occasionally. I have a pretty good diet, I don't eat meat. Someone else mentioned a hormonal link. This could be. My gyn gave me a sample of the birth control patch that I've been using this month and she said it was a little stronger than what I had been using. I don't like the patch and will not use it again.
The one consistent factor I can come up with is intense focus. I don't want to call the situations "stressful" because I'm not freaking out, I'm handeling the situations. Like after driving in a strange city, trying to find an address on a deadline. Or divorce, or after a job interview I was really nervous about, or after doing a very good job at a new job--very conscious of doing everything right. AND it is ALWAYS triggered by bright light. Maybe I had it 4 days in a row over the last few weeks because I started a new job and all of the holliday stuff, I really try not to get caught up in the stress alot of people do this time of year. I like to be calm and organized so I can help other people. Maybe this is how my stress manifests itself.
I think this because I had several days of this happening, then I skipped a day then it happened again. It happened after a very extreme situation--I was present for the death of a friend who died of a brain tumour that was diagonsed 4 months ago. I was a part of a beautiful thing, several of us were with him singing and praying--sending mental thoughts. And taking care of his wife during his death and after, waiting for his body to be taken from their home. I was honored to be there and was fine until I got home very early in the morning. Then I caught a glimpse of a bright light and it happened and all I could do was lay down and close my eyes until it stoped about 20 minutes later.
I think this is a cerebal thing with a hormonal link, possibly. I am due for an eye exam and will make sure there is nothing wrong there in January. I do want to surpass the nicotine and alchole hooks. They are not doing me any favors and I'm only given one body. I want to take care of it as best I can. I know I'm here to help others and I want to be here for as long as I can so I can continue to do that.
I asked my dr about this today and he told me to look these things up: prodroma and fortification spectrum. I haven't had a chance to do this yet, but if there are any more of you out there, you might want to. I thank you so much for your attention, and it's great to know that I'm not the only one. I'm thinking it's a blessing in disguise. I think we might be special for experiencing this.
In Reply to: To Dr. Stoll posted by Carol B. on December 23, 2002 at 20:13:56:
Thanks, Carol B.
This means that this is NOT migraine. This kind of thing is mostly caused by stress-effect storage and SR will almost always resolve it.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: scintilating scotoma (Archive in wellness.) posted by the original Sally on December 24, 2002 at 01:07:42:
I've been calling myself Sally for that last year or so on this Board and I probably should have used something different when I responded to your post so there wouldn't be the mixup. The advice from Walt was actually to me when he read about my thyroid problem (treating the tip of the iceburg). The response is usually indented underneath the post.
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