Doctors are baffled as to why I have persistant spots and flashes in my vision..

[foreveryoung]

Hi I am a 26 year old healthy mom of three. 4 years ago I started seeing black flashes in my vision periodically. They were exactly like what happens after someone takes your picture, only they would occur out of nowhere. They would last a few seconds and always cause me to have an anxiety attack. So I went to the eye doctor and they determined my eyes were fine and put me on some anxiety medicine for a year. It happened few and far between so I was able to cope. About 2 years later they started happening more frequently, on a daily basis. Not only did I see the black flashes, but sometimes white cloudy flashes, and at times I have a bad episode that looks like a million flashing veins in one eye. These episodes are terrifying and last about 10 minutes gradually getting better. One second I can see and the next all I see are these veins. Now my eyes are so light sensitive, I have light blue eyes to begin with, that any change in light will usually triger these spots or flashes. Going in the house from the sun outside will cause it. Walking into a dept. store will cause it. Not to mention they still happen randomly when I am watching t.v, reading anything. I see these flashes 100's of times a day and the bad episodes once every couple monthes, thank goodness it's not more frequent. I have been to the eye doctor, the Cleveland Clinic, my family doctor, a neurologist and everyone is clueless. My eyes have been dilated and determined there is no retinal tear or detachment. I have had a CT and MRI and nothing showed up. They can only conclude I have persistant visual aura. So they put me on a beta blocker preventitive migrane medicine and I see no change whatsoever. Is there any other possiblities as to what is going on? Any ideas at all would be greatly appreciated as I am so frustrated the doctors can't seem to help me. I should also say I have recently had my thyroid tested and sugar tested. Both came back okay. The doctor only said the B12 was low, only 206 out of a 200-900 range. I also have periodic tingling sensations in my fingertips and face which the doctor and neurologists can't figure out and only say it's no big deal. Please help if you can as it would be the answer to my prayers. My life has changed so much. I can't work now and can rarely drive because of these flashes . My kids need me to get better as they are all still young. Thank you so much for taking the time to read!

[Unregistered]

Did you have any brain MRI or CT done? Sounds a lot like a neurological problem.

[Unregistered]

Has an opthamologist ruled out the possibility of floaters?

[foreveryoung]

Hi I do have floaters as well from time to time but the flashes of light are completely differant. They are blinding dark spots that occur in the center of my vision. The only way to make them go away is to close my eyes for a few minutes. If any of you have ever seen the image of the flash in your eye after someone takes your photo that is the same thing that happens to me for no apparent reason. My eyes are sore and tired from squinting a lot and always fighting these flashes. I wear glasses and sunglasses to help with the sensitivity to light. Also yes I did have a CT scan and MRI and both appeared fine. The doctors are clueless and don't know what else to do or what to be looking for. What nueroligical problems could be possible? Is there any cure for persistant visual aura if that is what I have? Those are my main concerns. Thank you for responding!

[Unregistered]

hey all of those things sound like it could be coming from the lack of b12 or folic acid, you might want to try taking a folic acid vitamin for a month or so and see how that works.

[foreveryoung]

Thank you so much! I will give it a try. I bought a 500 mcg B12 vitamin today and a 400 mcg of Folic Acid. I hope that helps and that there is no permanet nerve damage. After researching B12 deficiencies it sounds like that very well is what is going on. Has this ever happened to anyone else on here?

[Unregistered]

Actually there is an entire topic about B-12 deficencies and the medical profession's general ignorance in regards to it:

http://forums.wrongdiagnosis.com/showthread.php?t=9948

[Unregistered]

Hi, one thing you may want to look into is an "eye migraine." These are not terribly common, but your symptoms seem to be spot on for it.
If you are predisposed to them, stress may bring it on, and, after a few days of the same experience the anxiety over having another episode may repeat the pattern. To rid yourself of them - pay attention to how you are feeling right from the moment you awaken. Be gentle and forgiving of yourself. When the eye migraine begins, go into a cool room where you can breathe deeply. Remind yourself that it will go away. If someone isn't available to give you a back massage, purchase an inexpensive chair-top rolling back massager - and use it when you first notice the symptoms. I did have this problem. It would begin at night where I would see flashes of light - spinning as if the light were a fan. It was disorienting. It did go on to happen in the day too.
You have nothing to lose by changing your cleaning products (absorbing nothing harmful through the skin) and avoiding high-fructose corn syrup - which for some people can just throw their metabolism and liver functions off. If the liver isn't healthy, the rest of the body suffers too. Stay in for a few days while adjusting to sitting for a chair massage at least once an hour to keep the shoulder, neck and back muscles loose, keep cool temps in the house --which for me seemed to be right about 66-67 degrees F. Sounds too chilly maybe, but...this is just what worked for me.

[Unregistered]

Thank you. It was very kind of you to take the time to give me so many suggestions. I will def. give it all a try, can't hurt!!!! Thank you!

[Unregistered]

OMG! I'm a 26 year old female, 5'2", 125 lbs. I can't believe I found someone with a similar problem! I have infrequent classic migraines (migraines with aura), but they are so bad that I think I am having a stroke (tingling down left side, can't see, difficulty speaking/hearing/seeing). Anyway, After the alst attack about 2 years ago, I have seen "spots" like the ones you describe. The only way I describe them to doctors is as if I were outside and caught a light glaring off of chrome--except I am inside and usually doing nothing unusual! So I've seen many specialists, including neurologists and opthalmologists and even an opthoneurologist and rheumatologist. After getting a bunch of bloodwork and CTs and MRIs, the only things found were very high ANA and now just diagnosed with hypothyroidism, but was told that that wouldn't have anything to do with the "spots", and an elevated liver function test...but that was taken about a year ago before I had my gall bladder out for stones, so thinking that might have affected that count.
Also, I got copies of my blood work results, and no one mentioned that I had an elevated AntiSmooth Muscle Antibody count...but I guess it has nothing to do with this or they would have mentioned it. Anyway, I see a Retinal Specialist every 6 months..the only thing they have determined is that I have damaged optic nerves, but nothing has changed with that in the past 2+ years, and relating that to a genetic predisposition to glaucoma..which also wouldn't cause these type of spots that go away within 10 minutes. Some days I see more spots, and do seem related to menstrual cycle (the spots are worse the week before). I still am thinking pituitary gland issue, even though not showing on MRI, but it's such a small gland... So, my diagnosis for now: retinal or eye migraines, clasic migraines, and probable MS !!! This is something that the neurologist went and diagnosed me with...but with no other symptoms and nothing on MRI...so I don't like to even think about that one yet. But long story short, these spots have stayed about the same for 2 years, so I do not know what is going on, and if anyone has any advice, please let me know!