Flashing streak in my eye

[Dilbertian]

I am very short-sighted and for the past 20y have been warned at every eye test that if I see flashes I must contact my optician immediately. It can be a sign of retinal or vitreous detachment, and can lead to permanent loss of vision if it's not treated urgently.

Last night I started seeing flashes streaking downward in the outside edge of my left eye, and they are still there now. I have emailed Specsavers, but I am very worried - this may be exactly the sort of thing that will be deprioritised by Covid.

Any words of advice?

I had a email from specsavers the other day saying they were open for urgent care. If you look on their website you can search for your nearest open store. I would ring as soon as they open, dont rely on the email being picked up!

The NHS says to ring 111. It might be worth doing that asap as the opticians may not open for a while yet.

Hope you can get seen quickly.

Speak to an optician ASAP. Most are still available for things like this, which could be an emergency. I think at the moment you will probably have to ring and speak to the optician, who will ask questions and decide if you need to be seen. Don’t delay with symptoms like this. The NHS will still treat you if needs be.

I’d go to a&e for this one. Especially given your history of short sightedness

Call 111 for urgent advice...they will be able to direct you to the right care. I'd be ultra caught about this....never had a problem with my eyes my entire life till I one day got a flashing pain in one of them. No warning, nothing of concern before. Seen at hospital and diagnosed with a very serious condition that I battled with for 18 months that nearly cost me my sight. Had I not been seen early, my outcome isn't worth thinking about. Good luck, let us know how you get on

I had a flash across my left eye in low light a few months' ago. I went to the optician and then an eye consultant. He did a number of tests and advised me that I had a retinal pull, causing the flash (plus I have quite an extensive floater).

I can't remember the scientific terms but I think the fluid in your eye ages and the pull is this fluid attaching to the retina. Eventually he said the fluid will fall off and tear the retina as it does so. There's nothing I can do now but he said to come in within 48 hours when I noticed any changes in the flashes. At that point, he will laser the tear to stop the retina tearing further and detaching.

Not sure where you live but he advised Moorfields have a walk in A&E for eyes. But I'd try not to worry and see if an optician can see you.

@dilbertician try not to worry. I had this could see like shooting stars in one eye. I went to optician who suggested a&e immediately. Not sure of your age, I was about 55, but upshot was as you get older the gooey bits behind the eye dry out and break which caused this. Nothing they could do but hasn't happened since. It should be checked though to be on the safe side. Also looking at screens endlessly as probably we all are at this time can cause twitches and sore eyes. Good luck.

Speak to your optician first. It might be something that doesn’t need hospital or it might be an emergency. Your optician can see which it is. I wouldn’t go straight to a&e as it might not be serious. If your optician thinks it is serious, however, they can direct you to the right person in the hospital without you having to go wait in a&e first.

Times like this I wish I still lived in London - I went to Moorfields for one of my dc.

Boots website says for urgent eye issues to call a number. I called it, went through all the menus and waiting, then the automated message says to email then, it gives the email once and hangs up! Why is the email not on the website then? Shit I feel so stressed about this. Far more anxious than about catching Covid.

This is an a&e job. Please go straight away.

If you are near a large hospital, there should be an eye A&E - you should head down to there ASAP.

And I mean this kindly, please don’t wait for a reply to an email! Just go.

I've sent you a pm.

A lot of opticians are still open for this kind of emergency, but call them 1st, there is also a facebook group called specsavers ask the expert www.facebook.com/groups/SpecsaversAskTheExpert/?ref=share which could be of use.

But flashes can be serious, 111 is worth a call and they will direct you to the best available specialist care in your area.

Kitten, I noticed a large new floater in my left eye yesterday.

I have PMd you as well. This is a medical emergency and needs seeing to TODAY

Dh is taking me to Eye Casualty at local hospital.

Good luck.

I have had posterior vitreous detachment,- few times (also shortsighted). The opticians only ever sent me to A&E. It needn’t be as scary as it sounds, but does need treating ASAP. Don’t do anything strenuous.

Yes eye A&E today. Better to check it out.

Best to get checked but when I had this recently it was just the result of my eye sight changing and wearing the wrong prescription.

Eye A&E is still working - I know someone who had to use it the other day.

Definitely get it checked out but don’t get too stressed about vitreous detachment if that’s what it is as it’s extremely common and IMO they do nothing for it . Worth checking to make sure it’s not a retina though .

I've had a retina detachment and while it was disturbing at the time, the surgery to fix it was quick and painless, recovery afterwards took a while but wasn't painful just annoying.

Glad you are going in to get seen Op. hope all ok.

Glad you have gone OP, hope all is fine