HELP. SUDDEN FLASHES AND ZIG ZAGS IN VISION

[Sellingsunsets]

Just that reallyz just put my son to bed and came down stairs, and suddenly my eyes went funny, flashing lights, blurred vision and now it's almost like a multicoloured zig zag pattern. Even in the dark or with my eyes closed. I've started to get a bit of a headache too. I am having a very stressful time, and I've cried a lot today, not eaten much etc. I'm terrified I'm having a stroke or something. Any one experienced this

My husband had this last year when we were visiting family in Scotland. We spoke to an optician over the phone who explained it was probably a visual migraine. When he got home he saw the gp who prescribed meds for when he started to get one. I drove home to London - 12 hour journey - as we were so worried he would have one while driving. He had a few in a short period of time but nothing much since.

Are you very shortsighted? If so it may be a detached cornea and you should go to A&E asap. You are much more at risk for this if you're very shortsighted as the back of your eye is already vey stretched. Don't take any chances.

Sorry I can't say what counts as 'very shortsighted' as I used to be -20 and consequently get given the detached cornea warning routinely. I don't think you have to be anything like that bad to take it seriously though.

It was the local Specsavers that did the same for me - on Christmas Eve, no less.

I would assume this is a migraine...it could also be retinal detachment which is a medical emergency. Can you get yourself an appointment for an eye test tomorrow at the very least OP? It doesn't matter if you had an eye test 3 months ago

You don’t you’re not on the combined pill.

Also it’s not all migraines and headaches it’s specifically ones with an aura.

The mini pill is great for stopping your cycle and hormonal headaches

Exactly. First thing(s) to rule out.

Jumping to migraine assumption would be a mistake.

Op if this is migraine which it sounds like then you'll probably feel quite groggy tomorrow that's normal. But also if you have never had one before the advice is always to seek medical help, so a vist to your GP, if you wear glasses an options appointment would be appropriate as well just to double check the health of your eyes.

This also goes for anyone who knows they jade migraine but experience a change in their migraine or new symptoms.

Hope you don't feel to bad tomorrow.

I had this, a few years ago. Thankfully I have never had another one.

Helpful information on here, thanks everyone. I get the rainbows and scintillating scotoma with increasing frequency, but no headaches thank goodness. I didn't know about the possible link with detached retina, so that's useful to know. I mentioned the symptoms at my last eye test, but the optician didn't seem interested.

I was your age when I had my first migraine too. Terrifying but that is what it was.

It Coukd be a detached retina. You need to get this checked out asap!

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/detached-retina-retinal-detachment/

Thanks for all your replies. The colours and zig zags lasted about 30 mins and then it just stopped! But, I've had a hortil head all night, like my head is being squished from every angle, and behind my eyes are very sore too, my eyes fell burning and itchy and glazed and red. And honestly I feel wiped out completely! I've never ever had this kind of thing happen in my life. I'm pretty sure it is a occular migraine or something, after some googling. I also did the online 111 and they booked me a call with a nurse, so I guess I'll just wait for that. My head is still very very bad, but my vision is back to normal.

I am very short sighted, yes. I don't think it is a detached retina, the colours and shapes have gone and my vision is normal. Though the mother of all headaches still remains and some sensitivity to light.

Low blood sugar, stress and lack of sleep certainly can trigger a migraine. It might be worth a trip to the GP for a check-up if you’ve never had them before; but it’s not unknown to have the isolated one or two with no recurrence.

Best thing to do is to take two paracetamol and drink a bit of something with caffeine in it as soon as you feel it coming on; then lie down in a dark room. Putting a cool compress on the back of your neck can sometimes help.

Hope you feel better soon, OP. 💐

Sounds like migraine aura, I tend to get them if in not sleeping well enough, the auras sometimes come before the headache or on their own.

Sounds exactly like a visual migraine. Not sleeping and not eating are likely triggers. Also dehydration can trigger them. You need to look after yourself a bit better!

And there's your trigger: fasting.

IANAD. Three aspirin, two paracetamol, and half a can (or a whole mixer-sized can) of full-fat full-caffeine coke usually sorts it out enough that I can sleep it off.

The pill absolutely caused me to have more of them, and worse. Some lasted three days.

You are on the Minipill, which is fine, it's oestrogen that causes the increase in risk of blood clots. So no combined pill (aka the Pill with a capital p), no Nuvaring, no contraceptive patch.

I get them they are horrendous they are called ocular migraines. Go to the gp as they can prescribe a spray that stops them. Lie in a dark room for now.

mine came at the start of perimenopause

I feel for you op i use to get them daily at one point, started in the middle of the night i was about 34.
My eyes was so sore i could not open them i thought death as come via my eyes.

I still get flashes floaters halos dots tinsel flashes, but not so bad as when id lose sight in my eye, i changed my tea for coffee that helped me.
Cut out so much foods etc.

I do suffer with migraines so bad i couldnt work.
When i had my first one i went to A&E the same for the following 234 because i had no idea what was happening.
After getting told and doing a lot of googling i found out what it was.
My doctor was crap at the start but as got better now i have a new one.
Took me a year to find my big triggers etc.
I still live with the mental side of it silent migraines, like looking at something but cant see the name on the packet, or cant think of the right word for something.
My list is long.
Then the hangover from a bad one the dizzyness its just never ending for me.

It could be a migraine, but it could be an emergency problem with your eye. Either way, the symptoms are not usual for you nor something you have previously experienced, so you should get it checked out as a priority. Better that than possibly going blind.

Hi all. I slept in and off last night, my head feels better this morning but still a bit sore, my eyes are really sore too. And I still feel bloody shattered. It's blowing mind that all this is caused by a migraine and I've never had one before!

And I feel bloody rough