Why do I see zig-zag patterns in my eyesight?

Question

It's happened maybe four or five times over the past 5 years or so. I'll be carying out my day and over the course of a few minutes, I'll begin to see black and white zig-zag lines in a portion of my eyesight, ususally out of one eye, then the other. One time, it was in my straight line of sight and I had trouble seeing. If I remember correctly, if I close my eyes, they aren't as bad. They last from several minutes to a little over an hour and they seem to "pulsate" a bit... very annoying. What is this?

Answer 1

It does sound like what happens before a migraine. Do you get any type of headache aferwards? If it is in both eyes then it should not a retinal problem. Maybe, you should go see an optometrist.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

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ZIg-zag is the shape of the teeth on the blade of a saw. It looks like this: WWWWWWWWW (just imagine all the W's connected) You can try writing one word slanting up, then the next word slanting down, then the next up, and so on. If there are words too short (and, the, a, etc.), or too long, just adjust the number of words going one way, or break a long word into a few syllables before changing direction. You can also do a vertical zig-zag, with a word or two (or a few syllables, for long words) on each line, but the lines slanting left or right as you go down the page. You can make a thick zig-zag for a long paragraph or poem by changing the indentation (how much space in front of the line) and the length of the lines as you go down the page.

Answer 5

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RE:
Why do I see zig-zag patterns in my eyesight?
It's happened maybe four or five times over the past 5 years or so. I'll be carying out my day and over the course of a few minutes, I'll begin to see black and white zig-zag lines in a portion of my eyesight, ususally out of one eye, then the other. One time, it was in my straight line...

Answer 6

Can't say for certain but I'm assuming by your not mentioning it, that you don't develop a headache either during the onset of this or shortly afterwards.

My suggestion is to see an optomotrist or have your medical doctor refer you to an eye specialist for investigation. Your doctor might decide to do an examination of his own as well.

Sometimes such things, if followed by a migraine or general headache, are simply dealt with by using migraine medication. Other times these things are considered "floaters" specs that float around on the top of the cornea/iris and come and go on their own.

These types of eye irritations or the kind that you explain can sometimes signify cornea problems. Usually in older patients a retina can become detached and one of the symptoms can be floaters or eye irritations that affect the vision.

Bottom line, get the eyes examined and see your doctor to ensure nothing healthwise is going on.

Good luck

Answer 7

It sounds as though you may be having an optical or ocular migraine. If it lasts for a period of time most likely it is not a floater, as floaters do just what the name implies...float on by. It is also unlikely you have an issue with retinal detachment as this would not be a problem that would clear up on it's own.

Ocular migraines are not always accompanied by a headache and may just be visual in nature. This site has a really good picture of what one individuals ocular migraines look like. http://publish.webdiosa.com/?p=254 Yours may differ, but this is the best representation I have seen yet.

I have attached another resource below you may want to read.

Answer 8

Black And White Zig Zags

Answer 9

I'm providing a link to the webMD page concerning retinal eye problems:

http://www.webmd.com/content/tools/1/slide_vision_test.htm

Click on the link titled "floaters." Does this example look like the zigzag lines you describe? I f so, this condition is very common, and not a major source of worry, though you should bring it up with your eye doctor ASAP.

If this isn't what you described, click through some of the other links on that page to see if any of the other examples (most are more serious) match your condition. Either way, you should discuss your problem with your eye doctor to determine if treatment is necessary.

In my own experience, eye problems like the one you describe can occur as a result of staring at a computer monitor for hours at a time. Again, If this is an activity you engage in, your eye doctor may be able to help.

Answer 10

So..
Visit this site for more info and good remedies about eye floaters: http://eyefloaters.toptips.org

Eye floaters are described as dots or squiggly lines that are seen in the field of vision, especially when looking at a bright background such as the sky or the sea. What is actually seen is not the particle (i.e. the floaters) but the shadow that this particle casts. The particle can be an aggregation of proteins that have precipitated out of solution (within the vitreous humour), debris that gets stuck in the eye or even tiny specks of blood. These particles are usually positioned towards the middle of the eye, between the lens and the retina. Eye floaters are more common in older adults, although they may occur in anyone.
Flashes may be seen in combination with eye floaters or on their own. What is seen is literally flashes of light that occur spontaneously and in a random fashion. The cause of flashes is usually the rubbing action of the vitreous humor (the gel-like solution in the eye) against the retina, or the pulling action of this solution on the retina. Flashes may manifest themselves for weeks or months, and the interval between flashes is usually haphazard.
You should see a doctor or ophthalmologist as soon as you develop eye floaters and/or flashes.

Check this site for more info: http://eyefloaters.toptips.org
Have a nice day