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What Causes Recurrent Episodes Of Flashes Of Light Which Increase With Anxiety?

Posted on Tue, 24 Jun 2014

Question: For the past four and a half years, I have been getting flashes in my vision. These come and go throughout the day and seem to increase when I am anxious. I fairly often have panic attacks where my heart races and I will see these spots . They seem to appear also when I sort of squeeze my eyelids shut and reopen them. They sometimes only last a second or two and are small colored bright spots. Sometimes though, they last a second and reappear for another minute or two every time I blink. At first, they appear as a bright spot, and then fade into a white light in the same shape when I blink and then go completely away. I have had a typical migraine aura before and this is very different than that. I have been to three different opthamologists as well as a retinal specialist who have not seen anything wrong but think it may be because I am very nearsighted that I may have retinal or vitreous traction. These spots make me very nervous and I am constantly looking for them. I also have very bad strain type feeling in my neck and upper spine especially on my left side. I think this may be due to holding my children so much...I have a 7, 5 and 2 year old. Any thoughts? Thanks

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (45 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
These symptoms are not because of eye problem.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to health care magic.

I am Dr Dadapeer K, an ophthalmologist and I answer health problems related to eye.

It seems from the history that you are having recurrent episodes of flashes of light which increase with anxiety and associated with panic attacks.
It is correct that in people who are near sighted or myopic have retinal degenerations and vitreous degeneration resulting in flashes of light. But the flashes of light resulting from vitreoretinal traction are usually continuous, present always and not associated with anxiety or panic attacks. Since you have been examined by ophthalmologist and retinal specialist and examination was found to be normal these flashes of light does not appear to be related to myopia or vitreo retinal traction.

Since these symptoms are associated with neck strain and pain in the spine and since you also give history of migraine, these symptoms appear to be related to migraine.
Hence this requires evaluation and treatment for migraine and other primary headaches like cluster headache or tension headache.

Hence I advice you that these symptoms are not related to eye problem and seem to be associated with primary headaches like migraine, tension headache, cluster headache.
Hence I advice you to consult your physician for examination and treatment accordingly.

Hope I have answered your question and the information is helpful to you.

Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dadapeer K (13 minutes later)

Thanks for your answer. The weird thing is that I never have headaches or dizziness or anything like that. I also seem to have 20/20 vision with my contacts which my eye doctor verified a couple of weeks ago with a dilated eye exam. I also have a clicking in my jaw on the left side of every time I open my mouth. I also have no facial pain or tingling ( I have done too much scary internet research), but I do feel much pressure in my upper trapezius muscle and sternamastecloid especially on the left side. I have primarily carried my three children on my left hip. I also have some strain on the right side. i get scared though because I feel sort of a strange strained feeling (not pain, more of like a muscle release sensations) when I apply pressure to certain spots especially on the left side of my face, head, neck and upper back. OI have had all of these symptoms for the past four years or so without much progression but not going away either. Any thoughts? Thanks

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Cervical spine problems needs to be ruled out.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for follow up question.

Since vision is normal with contact lens andyou have undergone dilated eye examination, it confirms that these symptoms are not related to eye problem.
Since you are having pain on the left side of face, head, neck, back problems involving the cervical spine and primary headaches like migraine needs to be ruled out.
The symptoms of clicking in the jaw on opening mouth indicate problem in the temporomandibular joint and requires evaluation by a dentist or a ENT doctor.
Hence I advice you to consult your doctor for examination to find out the underlying diseases like problems involving the cervical spine or primary headaches or temporomandibular joint and treatment accordingly.

Hope I have answered your question and the information is helpful to you.

Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dadapeer K (5 minutes later)

Does any of this sound like myofascial trigger points possibly? It seems as though if I press on certain areas of my spine, neck, one spot on top of my head and a couple of spots on my face including the left side bridge of nose, that I get a referred sort of release sensation feeling along with some pain/strain.

Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
This does not seems like trigger points.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thank you for the follow up question.

This is unlikely to be myofascial syndrome or trigger points. Trigger points are felt as nodules in the skeletal muscles and they does not cause flashes of light and other symptoms.
Hence I feel primary headaches or cervical spine problems as a probable cause.

Hope the information is helpful to you.

Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar