Seeing stars/sparks - 27 weeks. Could just be anxiety?

[AprilBaby2025]

I am 27+2. I have bad anxiety and OCD. I always find something to fixate on. Since 20 weeks, I have been obsessed with getting pre-eclampsia. So of course, every symptom I have means it's pre-eclampsia in my mind. I think I even started to look for symptoms.

So about a week ago, I noticed that there was some "after image" after staring at something. And white dots after looking at a light. I know, that's a normal human response. And I've had it before I was pregnant. But I became obsessed with my vision. Then a day later, I noticed lots of dots (white and black) and sparks flying around when I looked outside. I later found out this is normal (blue entropic phenomenon). But then I started looking at white walls and seeing teeny tiny black sparks everywhere all the time in my peripheral vision. And it has been getting worse, but I think it's because I am now focused on it. I have likely always had it but my brain just ignored it. But for the past week, I have been searching for these sparks and now I can't unsee it! They're everywhere in my peripheral vision!

But they're worse under certain circumstances which is weird (but maybe makes sense). When I wake up in the morning and turn on the light while looking at a blank space (a blank wall or the ceiling), I see them a lot. I have been working on my computer all day and I see them in my peripheral when I am looking at the screen. I also see them more when a room has a lot of natural light through a window or if I am looking at a window (or there is a window with daylight coming through somewhere in my line of sight). I don't notice these sparks when there are things around me. I went out to dinner last night with my husband and didn't notice them at all. I don't see them when I am doing things and there are things around me.

I freaked out and went to the midwife today to check my blood pressure. She said it was normal and she wasn't concerned. I don't have any other symptoms. No headaches, except very minor ones that are normal for me (had them pre-pregnancy and are stress related). I haven't even had any swelling yet (knock on wood). And the sparks seem to happen in specific settings and when I focus on it. Although now since that has all I've been thinking about for the past few days, that's ALL I see. Which freaks me out more. I can't unsee it now. It's the worst when I am working on my computer. Or when looking out a window.

"Miraculously", I didn't see any of these sparks the moment I left my house to see the midwife. And then the moment I returned and sat back down at my computer again, I saw them!

My midwife did just refer me to a perinatal psychiatrist so I hope I get help with my anxiety / OCD.

Anyways, should I trust that everything is physically OK with me? That the sparks are just my dumb brain? Does this sound like pre-eclampsia or OCD?

I had PE in my first pregnancy and honestly, this sounds more like OCD.

Have you previously posted a few threads about blood pressure?

I know everyone is different, I never had the visual disturbances when I had PE. Mine was primarily high blood pressure from 31 weeks, then protein in urine, then worsening blood tests (kidney etc). I was convinced they were wrong about me having PE because of how healthy I felt at the time.

I think I know what you are talking about though, I see those types of visual things after a shower or in certain instances. I’ve had them pre pregnancy too.

Is there a reason you think you might get PE? Most people don’t, or it happens at the very end. My friends mum had PE and so my friend wondered if she would get it and took asprin. She never developed it in the end and went over due to 41 weeks.

I guess because I have a phobia of blood pressure (I've posted about it before lol) and everytime I went to my doctor in the past it was always sky high with an automatic cuff. I have severe health anxiety so have always avoided the doctors. I have a home automatic cuff as well, which has caused me severe anxiety in the past as my numbers are all over the place. Due to my health anxiety, I ALWAYS worry constantly about the worst case scenarios. So yes, I am very worried about pre-eclampsia. And being online so much, it seems like 50% of pregnancies develop it lol (I know that's not accurate.... it's just what it seems like because of the bias of who posts). My BP has been good at the midwive's using their manual cuff though. But I constantly question whether theirs is accurate and they are doing it correctly etc so I am convinced I will get pre-e. I look into every single symptom.

Iv had pre eclampsia and I had the visual disturbances.

If you did have it, which is unlikely it would be picked up on rising blood pressure and protein in your urine. These markers are unmistakeable so I think you need to say to yourself that as long as your blood pressure is in normal range and not increasing quickly and you don't have protein in your urine then you are fine.

Dismiss any other symptoms as they are not core symptoms.

It's normal to feel anxious when you are pregnant.

Could be low iron so worth checking if they havent already x