Sudden vision changes

[Louisa4987]

Can anyone help me avoid frantically googling because I know it's not productive

A few days ago I had a really sudden funny turn with my eye sight where I randomly lost proper vision and had the appearance of flashing/moving circles in both eyes. It last about 5-10 minutes and then went again. I could see during but not fully and couldn't focus etc. I had a bit of a headache and felt tired afterwards it was fairly late so went to bed and that was that. My vision was almost back to normal apart from what feels like slight shadows and difficult focusing.

Next day and ever since it's been the same. Eye sight is relatively normal but I've got what feels like little blurs on my vision and I'm finding it harder to focus. It's worse outside or in bright light but it's still there all of the time I would say.

I've been Googling which suggests everything from migraine aura to brain tumour. I've never had issues with my eye sight before so it's come on very suddenly. It's now been around 48 hours since the issue started.

I've booked an eye test and will keep trying to book a doctors appointment over the next few days but I'm not sure how seriously they will take me.

Should probably also add I had just come back from a run when it happened if that changes anything. Could have been dehydrated which if it is migraine with aura appears to be one of the causes.

Sounds like migraine with aura to me and I also suffer with them. Although you are doing the right thing by getting checked by GP and opticians who can rule out anything else. sumatriptan help me hugely when a migraine comes on.

I agree sounds like migraine aura but if you are worried it's worth seeing if there is an eye casualty near you. They are very highly trained and probably a better first stop than the GP for vision issues (they have access to all the machines and can do dilated vision tests which opticians won't do as standard)

The one in my city is just a walk in service. They've been fantastic with me in the past

Migraine

I get migraine aura like this and it's triggered by exercise. Prob still worth getting checked out though

You say you had just been for a run. Every now and again, after exercise, I get a visual oddity, its as if a little blob of bright white semi-luscent paint has splashed onto the back of my eyeballs. It rapidly expands into a semi-circular shape, with a sharply defined edge, covering most of the field of vision, but sort of see-through. Lasts about 5 mins and then goes blurry and fades. (It's not the zig-zag flashy migraine aura thing, I get those too but this is a different thing). Does that sound like a good description of what you had, OP?

Thanks for all the replies. It was the zig zag circular shape and sort of spinning/moving if that makes sense?

Those with experience of migraine auras is it likely that I would still be experiencing issues with my eyesight days later? Everything I've seen online says vision should return to normal in an hour or so. Mine is still quite noticeably different days later. I also haven't really had bad headaches? Maybe the odd twinge but nothing I'd expect with a migraine?

Stare at one spot on the wall - at a clock or door frame etc. move your right hand around without moving your eyes. Can you see your hand everywhere or are there some areas of space where it vanishes? Do the same with your left hand.

This test only works if you keep your eyes v still - moving your eyes is cheating. But if there is a corner of space where you can't see well, remember that and even draw a picture to show the GP.

Do get a GP appointment asap if you can't see some areas of space.

I haven’t had issues with vision once my migraine is over so that is a little strange and definitely needs checking out.

You can get migraines without a bad headache - a relative gets just the aura and fatigue but no headache at all.

Thank you, I can see it as I move it around and there's no areas I can't see. Peripheral vision still seems to be as normal there's just some small blurred spots.

I get almost a fuzzy lightening across my eyes but I can't focus on it as it's always to the side of my vision iyswim? It lasts about 5-30 minutes and always makes me have a headache and feel a bit sick. It's a visual or aura migraine for me. I get them at times of the month so mine I assume to be hormonal.

Sounds like a migraine

You are actually better seeing your optician instead of your GP. They have better equipment and are eye specialists. If you ring and explain they will probably see you ASAP. It's probably nothing serious but much better to make sure.

Thanks for the replies I've booked an optician appointment so fingers crossed.

Eyes fully checked at the opticians including with the drops that help them see your pupils better. They've said there's nothing wrong with my eyes so still none the wiser. They did agree that it was probably migraine with aura but doesn't really account for the issues since

That's good news 👍

Migraine with aura. If you're on combined pill / patch you must stop.

Is there any pain with your eye movement? If so it could be optic neuritis and you will need to be treated pretty urgently.

Not on the pill or any medication, and no pain at all. The blurred spots have gone now and not had the flashing since. Just got a weird dizzy lightheaded feeling that comes and goes now. Tried to book a doctors appointment or even a nurse appointment for bloods or blood pressure but can't get an appointment unless I get in a queue of hundreds when they open at 8am which I haven't been able to do yet.

The optician said it was unlikely to be optic neuritis or similar because it was in both eyes at the same time or something.

Could be posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). It is very common and more likely to happen as you get older. As the vitreous pulls away from your retina you may see this as a flash of light in one or both eyes, like small sparkles, lightning or fireworks.