Seriously...maybe it isn't the icons

[thyme4change]

Right now, I'm having trouble seeing. I'm having sort of flashes of light, and I have distortion on the left side of my vision field.

The distortion doesn't go away if I close one eye or the other.

Is this one of those weird migranes? I've had white outs before.

Or am I having a stroke?

[The J]

Call your doctor or an ambulance.

[thyme4change]

I'm thinking this is a migraine. They call them something - optical migraine or something. The worst part is that I can't drive home to lie down.

[The J]

Do you regularly get migranes?

[thyme4change]

I seem to get them once a year or so. Maybe less.

[aries7]

They are called Ocular Migraines. I get them too. For me, they are usually followed by an actual migraine that same day or the next. The first time it happened to me, it really freaked me out. I always compared mine to the kaleidoscope I had as a kid - when you turned the end and all of the colors kind if melted together. In my case, they last about 30 minutes and then I was fine. Nothing hurts, it just makes it very difficult to see, eyes feel kind of "googly". That said, I agree with The J, at minimun, call your doctors office or hospital. I did go in and ask my doctor about mine - I felt better knowing that though they are strange, I was OK. In our area we have a program called Ask-a nurse - that may be another option for you. Please let us know how you are doing.

[The J]

That sucks. If you can, I'd suggest a dark room and a cool washcloth/papertowels

[The J]

Dec 28, 2010 13:24:01 GMT -5 @aries7 said:

In our area we have a program called Ask-a nurse - that may be another option for you. Please let us know how you are doing.

Your insurance company may offer something similar too.

[thyme4change]

I took an advil migraine pill, and now I'll just wait for Obamacare to kick in. That will solve everything.

[Angel!]

Did the pill help? I'm curious because I get ocular migraines occassionally & never thought to take anything for them since there is no pain involved & they don't last too long. My aren't followed by a real migraine though. I have noticed they do occur more often for me during periods of high stress.

[thyme4change]

I guess I'm freaking out about losing "Your Money"

[Wisconsin Beth]

Do you take pills like Prilosec? My DH stopped taking his briefly and the light flashes he often gets stopped after a couple of days, once the meds were out of his system. He had to go back on it for the holidays and the light flashes are back. Maybe it's a side effect of something else you took?

[thyme4change]

I'm fortunate enough to not be taking any type of medication right now. I haven't even taken a sudafed or anything - although I did chow some Tums after the Christmas eating extravaganza!

The blurred vision was as aries described it, and it has passed. I feel weird - "googly" as she says. (That terms makes me smile a little.)

Angle - I don't know if the pills helped or not. It made me feel better to do something - even if it was to swallow a pill. It passed, as it always seems to. I was hoping if nothing else that it might prevent the migraine from moving from my eyes and into my brain and being painful. I guess we will never know if it did that or not.

[Regis]

Sometimes websites with a bright white background will give me an ocular migraine. You might want to try looking away from the computer next time. Excedrin Migraine seems to work pretty well, too.

[thyme4change]

Sometimes websites with a bright white background will give me an ocular migraine.

Maybe it was the flashing icons!

[dianartemis]

It could be your retinas stretching...honest it really happens.

Have you had your eyes checked recently?

[tiredturkey]

I get ocular migraines from fluorescent fixtures flickering when the ballast is about to go out. I now walk out of any office or store with a flickering light. The first time scared the unholy daylights out of me.

[Deleted]

I'd call your optometrist, if you have one. Flashing lights can be a sign of a detaching retina. I used to work as an optometric technician.

[thyme4change]

oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh

I don't want to go to the doctor. Pooh.

I know you guys are right.