Strange vision problem: spotting and waves

(Robert Warren) #10

Thanks, I’ll try that. I definitely felt like my BP was low (and it was, for me). I take at least a tsp of Himalayan salt but maybe I’ll take some more.

(Allie) #11

Specifically calcium supplements, and long before keto. The big white horse pill type things.

(Sarah ) #12

Thus could be the onset in a potentially blindness causing eye problem. Probably completely unrelated to keto. But please see your eye dr immediately. Any thing with visual distortion is very serious. https://www.asrs.org/patients/retinal-diseases/9/posterior-vitreous-detachment

(Sarah ) #13
(Rob) #14

Me too

(Consensus is Politics) #15

This is potentially serious. Indeed as many have said, go see an eye doctor ASAP.

I have had several of these problems in the past, before Keto. I was sitting at my desk at work, and noticed the blinds in the window looked like there were pinched. I thought that was odd. I also noticed all of the air vents in the room were pinched the same way. And then I noticed the lines of text in the book I was reading was pinched. I quickly did a self diagnostic. Covering one eye at a time to see where this effect was coming from. It was just my right eye. Sigh of relief, if both eyes were doing it I was going to freak, it wasn’t optical, but it was an optical effect.

For the next few days I paid attention to see if it was getting worse. It was always in the same place. So I printed up some 1mm graphing paper with very thin lines. And a dot right in the middle. I stared at the dot, and traced an outline around the distortion. I did this everyday. At the end of the week I could see that it was getting bigger. A very steady increase in size.

I called the eye doc in the mall. He made an appointment for me. Made room for me in fact. It was this serious. Turns out in my case it was high blood pressure. Sure enough my BP was 180/140. Been in BP meds ever sense.

There are a lot of things that can cause visual artifacts. It’s best to get these things checked out ASAP.

As for the migraine effect. That’s the only way I get migraines now. Annoying as hell. But no pain. There is what looks like a lightning bolt flashing in my eye. It’s the same shape image in both eyes. I don’t think it’s really located in the eye. It’s probably in the nerve center where vision is processed. No pain receptors there. So I see the migraine. I treat it as if it were painful. I try to relax, drink some water. Hydrate, take some electrolytes. If it goes on more than 10 minutes I’ll take some Ibproffenn, and enjoy the light show.

(Sarah ) #16

I have lost most of my center vision in one eye. I have a rare condition called idiopathic subretinal neo vascularization. Long story but the main symptom was visual distortion in one eye. Basically the drs had to form a laser scar in my eye to stop the progress of the neo vascularization, and that scar just happens to be right in my center vision. I still have this examined yearly, 25 years later, since the consequences of recurrence are potentially devastating. Retinal detachment is much more common and potentially equally devastating. Posterior-vitreous-detachment is the most likely and least likely to devastate your vision, but the problem is, there is no way to know unless you gets your eyes dilated and examined.

(Craig) #17

The transient and recurrent nature of your symptoms is concerning.

Please take note if it’s happening in just one eye or both at the same time.

Can almost rule out macular disorder as that would most likely persist, however your differential diagnosis would include conditions as innocuous as uncomplicated vitreous floaters/posterior vitreous detachment, and acephalgic migraine, to vision threatening retinal detachment, to potentially life threatening amaurosis fugax prodromal to stroke.

Please get checked by a health professional asap.

#18

Eye issues can be related to metabolic issues, and diabetes in particular. You should definitely speak to a doctor. You could even be showing symptoms of other issues related to obesity such as early stages of psoriasis, which can cause inflammation in and around the eye. Without proper consultation and checks its impossible to know.

(Robert Warren) #19

Thanks everyone, and I’m definitely going to see a doc about it.

Someone suggested an ocular migraine. I looked it up and it sounded dead on, will see what doc says. Just had an exe exam a few months ago and nothing showed up, but with a blood sugar if 269 and an H1AC of 11 I’m sure it was metabolically related. Hopefully that’s all getting better now with keto.

(Craig) #20

Hi Robert.

Often see “ocular migraine” and “visual migraine” interchanged.

Usually reserve term “ocular migraine” to describe condition where there is a transient spasm in blood vessels supplying a single eye, hence producing monocular symptoms vs “visual migraine” or “scintillating scotoma” to describe condition where there is a disturbance in an area of the brain which is processing signals from both eyes, hence causing binocular symptoms.

(Consensus is Politics) #21

When I would get mine, friends, family, coworkers all would say, “what’s wrong Bob, you got that look. Migraine again?” And they’d tell me to go lie down. Take it easy, take the rest of the day off. I’d tell ‘me “all good, just gonna lean back here with my eyes closed and enjoy the light show”. There was never any pain with it. Just lots of pretty flashing lights.

Although, I had to pull over on I-95 because it was effecting my vision enough that I couldn’t see the side of the road. A minute after pulling over I was effectively blind for about 5 minutes. That was a few years ago. Never really had them since.

(Robert Warren) #22

Bob,

Yeah, that sounds like what I’m experiencing. The thing I read about them said to pull over if driving since it can block your vision (I hate it when it happens while reading, have to read one letter at a time). And I do get kind of spacey and tired afterwards (which made me wonder if it was a low blood pressure thing… not usually a problem with me). Good thing is from what I read it is not a serious issue, but I will still ask my doc about it.

(Robert Warren) #23

Yup, that’s what it is, I’m sure of it. This is what it looks like:
scintillating%20scotoma

This shows it better:

scint
scint.jpg800×600 54.7 KB

(Craig) #24

Think so. See my original post.

Acephalgic migraine, where you experience the classic migraine aura/scintillating scotoma, without the headache phase.

Still recommend that you get it checked out to definitively rule out the other nasties.

(Mark Medrano) #25

I had this same experience today. This is my 3rd day on Keto and mine was a bright flashing colorful light in the top right hand corner of my vision. It was in both eyes wether I closed one or the other. It went away in 30 minutes but was very scary. After it went away I experienced a light headache that went away with Advil. Don’t know what is going on but I hope I’m okay.

(Keto Koala 🐨) #26

This same thing happened to me once when I cut out salt completely. My vision was all blurry. Just include more salt to your diet :grin:

(Rebecca 🌸 Frankenfluffy) #27

If you’re diabetic, a fast reduction in HbA1c (due to improved blood glucose control) may initially cause a rapid deterioration in retinopathy, which will adversely affect eyesight.

I’d say that any vision problems need to be checked out as a matter of urgency.

#28

I have had this and was seen by my eye doctor and was told it was an ocular migraine. They last about 30 minutes and you should rest your eyes during and you could have a headache after. Stress or dehydration could trigger, I have not found any trigger myself but dehydration could play a role. Harmless - nothing to worry about but definitely freaky.

(Prancing Pony) #29

My husband, who is not keto, gets that with ocular migraines. I only experienced it once when I was tired and a little dehydrated. He suggested I do what he does and eat a jelly baby (small amount of glucose). I was so freaked out that I tried it and literally 3 minutes later the visual disturbance disappeared. Probably not a suggestion I should give on a keto forum but it works for him and stopped the one and only time it happened to me.