Can you describe the “visual disturbances” caused by pre-eclampsia?

[worried77]

As above really. I can’t find any information about what this actually means?

I had lots of flashes in my vision

If you anyway suspect you might be having symptoms then you should call midwife triage

Blurred vision, flashing lights, double vision, if you’re in any doubt ring up your hospital.

Contact your maternity triage if you are concerned. Pre eclampsia is diagnosed through symptoms and blood tests.

For me, it was very tiny little black 'sparkles' in my field of vision, particularly if I stood up or bent over and straighteners d up too quick, went upstairs too quick and so on. Then it got worse and I had them even when laying down, along with a cracking headache and bigger 'flashes' of light in my vision. But I had the very mild visual disturbance for a good couple of weeks without it occurring to me that I may be seriously ill - it would have been picked up in if midwives hadn't missed two home visits to me in a row and not worried because I was low risk...

Blurring or flashing lights. Any doubt, please get checked ASAP.

Blurring, flashing (like dark/bright flickering), dots on black background.

Mine was severe and sudden...missed by a locum and then I was rushed in to hospital middle of the night thinking I was having a heart attack. DS out by EMCS the next day and I was hospitalized for 10 days.

Get yourself checked out if you have any concerns whatsoever OP.

I don’t know really... I sometimes get little lights around the edge of my vision, like when you’ve accidentally looked at the sun. Don’t really know enough to say whether or not I’m worried about it! I’m seeing my midwife tomorrow.

Roomba and WonderWoman2019 that’s awful! Sorry that you both had bad experiences.

According to this article, visual symptoms are only present in approx 25% cases pre-eclampsia, so even if you don't have any then it doesn't mean you don't have pre-eclampsia!

Or....75% pre-eclampsia cases do not have the visual disturbance, so don't wait for them to arrive before getting checked out.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3729391/

It’s helpful to know what other people experienced too, I think, as there’s not a lot of information online.

OP the visual disturbances don't occur in isolation. That's why midwives check your urine and BP. Visual disturbances are one part of the picture which a healthcare professional will put together and, with blood tests, form a diagnosis.

If you are worried at all
it’s better to have it checked.

Thank you Blastandtroph. I’m sure it’s probably nothing, but will mention it to MW tomorrow.

I experienced tiny white sparkles, like seeing stars, along with severe headaches. I also experienced larger flashes of light in the top right of my vision. This was when I was first suspected of having pre-eclampsia. Definitely tell your midwife tomorrow.

Swollen ankles

Flimpflump seeing stars sounds pretty! (Flippant, sorry!)

Would you say your vision flickering every now and then, like an old TV not tuned in properly, is a “visual disturbance” they’d want to know about?

They want to know about anything like that; or more to the point you want them to know about anything like that so it an be checked out.

I had rainbow lights in my vision when heavily pregnant with my 2nd dc. Spoke to a mw that eve who told me to come in in the morning so went to be monitored - had to sit there for an hour and speak to a neurologist, have urine/bp etc monitored, which was a pain with a 1yo in tow, but well worth doing - you don’t want to miss PE.

(Mine turned out to be optical migraine, which I’ve been getting every few months since that first one 7 yrs ago)

Mimimimo no that doesn’t sound much fun at all! I’m glad turned out you didn’t have PE... although optical migraine doesn’t sound pleasant either!