Damn My Eyes

September 11, 2009 8:04 AM

I'm seeing a weird "floater" on the right side of my field of vision.

I suspect this is something minor, but it's never happened to me before. My eye does not hurt. It gets worse when I'm looking at a computer screen, but stays after I look away. It looks like a big, white, 8-bit graphic backwards "C". When I turn my eyes to the left or right, it follows my line of vision. When I cover my right eye, the "C" dims, but remains present.

I have not done anything unusual with my eyes this morning, and I do not have any vision problems. No contacts, glasses, prescriptions, etc.

I work day in and day out in front of a computer screen, so I thought that might have something to do with it. A cursory google search didn't do me much good. What might this be? What can/should I do?

posted by Lieber Frau to health & fitness (14 comments total)

I get floaters (and scotoma and other neurological symptoms) as part of an aura before a migraine.
posted by Pax at 8:10 AM on September 11, 2009

Here is a thread from a while back about aural migraines. I get them fairly often myself.

If this is what you're experiencing, it may be nothing, but it could also be a detached retina, so don't rely solely upon my diagnosis.

Good luck!
posted by YFiB at 8:15 AM on September 11, 2009

I went to see my ophthalmologist who works at UCSD Shiley Eye Center for this exact thing this week- a shimmery/squiggly half circle on the right side of my field of vision, just in the periphery, that moves with my eye. I am a glasses wearer, fyi.

She said it's an ocular migraine. This does not mean it is accompanied by headache. It's only happened to me a handful of times, and she said it's not serious unless it becomes regular or especially bothersome. My eyes are perfectly healthy otherwise.
posted by slow graffiti at 8:17 AM on September 11, 2009

It's probably just a floater, but you absolutely should go see an eye doctor. Sudden occurences of floaters can be a sign that your retina is about to detach, which is a very bad thing and needs to be taken care of right away if it's happening. About a month ago I got a huge floater right in the middle of my vision, completely out of the blue. It's a black speck, unlike the light-colored amoeba-looking ones I normally see. Like yours, it shows up when seeing light areas of even brightness, such as a computer screen, which I look at all day for work. I called the vision care center of the medical group and asked for an appointment with an ophthalmologist. When I said what I was experiencing, they made an appoint for me right away with the optometrist on call. After looking into my eyes with a slit lamp, she saw the floater and said my retinas looked fine. I was sent on my way with instructions to come back right away if any other floaters appear or if I saw any random flashes in my vision. I haven't had any new ones so far, so for now I'm just going to have to put up with it as a permanent annoyance.
posted by zsazsa at 8:20 AM on September 11, 2009

Scotoma as part of migraine auras are often C-shaped. Look at these pictures on the migraine-aura.org site (scroll down). Mine are round and sparkly and not necessarily associated with a headache.

What you have to watch out for is any sign of a retinal detachment, though those are less likely if you're not highly nearsighted. A retinal detachment is an emergency that requires treatment today, not next week.
posted by Ery at 8:21 AM on September 11, 2009

IANAD But things I have read about detached retinas mean I would recemmend you seek medical attention immediately.
posted by samj at 8:42 AM on September 11, 2009

Nthing the responses above, but also wanted to add that when working on a computer for extensive amounts of time, be sure to take frequent breaks from the screen. It seems weird, but I've also found that I need to remind myself to blink sometimes. It helps me to keep my eyes closed longer than a natural blink, otherwise, I'll start seeing sparkles (similar, but definitely migraine-related).
posted by MuChao at 8:42 AM on September 11, 2009

Vitreous detatchment. NOT retinal detachment, very different.
Sudden onset of large floaters, painless, possible flashes of light.
I had this happen a year ago.

scary information here

However, the condition itself is not dangerous. In fact its pretty normal as we age. You should be checked by an opthalmologist to see if this is the problem, and for any advice.

I was seen once, had one follow up visit, and have had no more problems.
The really large floaters disappeared quickly. I have a couple of little companions that I suspect will be around for a long time though.
posted by SLC Mom at 8:53 AM on September 11, 2009

See an eye doctor. I have a floater, and it doesn't sound much like what I experience.

There's a good chance that it's harmless, but if it's not - any degenerative eye condition must be caught FAST.

Good luck!
posted by Citrus at 9:09 AM on September 11, 2009

Nthing most of the above. The texture of the vitreous goop (I'm certain that "goop" is the correct medical term) that fills the eye changes as people age. That can be one cause of floaters. Flashes of light can be caused by some of those vitreous changes tugging on the retina as the viscosity changes sort themselves out; this is more dangerous the more nearsighted one is (thanks, my own genetics!) because in myopia, the retinal tissue is thinner and more apt to detach at those tugs.

Other things can cause them too. Make an appointment and get it checked out; worst-case of an incipient retinal detachment (or one already underway) is the sort of thing that's much better to catch immediately; it can be the difference between a few minutes lasering procedure to seal off a tiny tear before it spreads, or an extremely fun major surgical procedure known as a vitrectomy, which involves months of recuperation and uncertain results. (My favorite part was having to try to remain still most of the day, either on my side or face down, so the air bubble injected into the eyeball would stay where it was supposed to. For about a month. While otherwise healthy, if bummed out about life at the moment. I recommend everyone avoid that kind of thing if they can, as a rule of thumb.)
posted by Drastic at 9:18 AM on September 11, 2009

I know that it could be a lot of minor things as mentioned above, but I've had two detached retinas that started out just like this.

Get it checked out by an opthalmalogist pronto. If, by chance it is a detached retina or retinal tear, it can lead to blindness fairly quickly (within weeks or months). There is surgical correction for this, but the sooner they diagnose, the better the outcome.
posted by Bueller at 10:46 AM on September 11, 2009

Thanks to all who replied. Everyone was helpful. I was pretty sure it was minor, but I listened to those of you who advised to err on the side of caution and saw an ophthalmologist. It was not a detached retina, but an ocular migraine. The doctor said that chances are it's no big deal but advised a follow up to make sure. For anyone else who might be using this thread as a source of information, he said things that might cause this are consuming too much caffeine, smoking a lot of cigarettes, having high stress, or getting a low amount of sleep. In my case, none applied, so I guess I'm just lucky.

PS: They dilated the bejeezus out of my eyes, so I'm walking around the city like this today.
posted by Lieber Frau at 1:36 PM on September 11, 2009

Does it look sort of checkerboarded? Like distorted C shaped things composed of dark and light lines?

I had those, they were visual migraines. No pain, no discomfort. Happened when I was under stress and not eating. Went on and off for about a week a few years ago. I take better care of myself, and they have not returned.
posted by Xoebe at 5:13 PM on September 11, 2009

Xoebe, just read this a week later. That is very interesting. How long did they usually last? (I realize you will probably not check this week-old post, but there's no harm trying.)
posted by Lieber Frau at 11:19 AM on September 18, 2009