A relative has a problem with her eye...She has a flashing light in it and it also feels gritty? It mainly....

Question

happens first thing in the morning and later on in the evening. She also has a slight headache with floaters behind the eye. Any suggestions? She does wear glasses.

Answer 1

Might be worth going to see her optician.

Answer 2

If she is 50 or over, most common cause is PVD posterior vitreous detachment, a piece of the jelly or vitreous humour coating in front of the retina pulling away. A flashing light shows at the edge of the eye and then after the jelly has detached, there are floaters that look like insects flying past. The flashing is worst first thing in the morning when the light first hits the eye and then again in the evening when the lights are on.

The flashing light or lights then start reducing and are gone usually after 6 weeks and the floaters gradually fade away across 6 months or you get used to them.

It happens mostly in people with short sight as the back of the eye is elongated and the coating is under more pressure than with a normal or long sighted eye and so gives way.

I had it in one eye about a year ago quite severely but it's now recovered and recently in the other eye which is still a bit swimmy.

When it happens, an optician needs to examine the back of the eye to see if there is danger of retinal detachment which is rare but a possibility.

http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_rnib003660.hcsp?printPage=1

Answer 3

The flashing lights and floaters are usually caused by a posterior vitreous detachment. However, these are also the classic symptoms of a retinal detachment. As this can lead to permanent visual loss, an IMMEDIATE visit to an optometrist or ophthalmologist should be made, to exclude the possibility of detachment.

Neither of these would cause pain or a headache. However the grittiness is usually due to dry eye and can cause discomfort. Again, an optometrist will check for dry eyes or foreign bodies on the cornea or trapped under the upper lid.

Diabetic retinopathy would not cause flashing lights or floaters unless the patient had been diabetic for some years and it was causing a retinal detachment.

Answer 4

Sadly floaters occur in later life as a natural and normal deteriotation of eye sight that is very common. These can cause these strange visual problems you mention. Alternatively it can be a symptom of glaucoma or a damaged retina therefore it is definitely her having this looked at her local opticians, or better opthamalogists department at the hospital to rule out any of these more serious problems which need treatment asap to prevent further damage. Good luck!

Answer 5

Thanks, chickpea, for that informative piece.

The grittiness in your aunt's eye, bright spark, might also be Dry Eye Syndrome (Sjogren's Syndrome) which can be treated with moisturising drops. I would take the advice of everyone on here and get your aunt to have all of this checked out asap as I have known two people now who had symptoms like these in the weeks running up to the development of a major problem which could have been prevented had they received early intervention.

Answer 6

She should seek medical help straight away, I am not sure what this is but I saw a programme a few weeks ago that had this eye disease as the topic, the symptoms you describe sound identical. I am sorry to panic but isn't it better to ask the doctor just incase? I hope I am wrong of course but this was considered serious on the programme, sorry I am so vague I just can't remember what it was called.

Answer 7

diabetes can cause floaters and epilpesy can do that also so you should check her out with a good doctor.

Answer 8

Sounds to me like "Cats-eye" syndrome

Answer 9

sounds like diabetic retinopathy, this is where the retina get small hole & rips in it, you can read more here
http://www.cnib.ca/eng/