Hello everyone. In need of a support group. Some people have good coping skills, however I do not. And I really need to talk to people who can relate right now.
Almost 5 weeks ago I had laser barrage on the bottom of my retina (4-6 o'clock position.) I was told my lattice area was very thin and there was fluid pulling on the holes and it was best to laser it down. I was having an increase in dark floaters which is what brought me in. I was referred to a retina specialist and he wanted to do laser that day. I wish I would have thought about it more. I did feel like I was in danger at the time and that it wasn't optional to not do it. I was crying and shaking and I felt if it was optional they would have told me since I was so upset.
I asked if this would affect my vision and he said no. I asked him so many questions and it was as if there could be no complications. He had me sign a waiver for macular degeneration and I knew I wouldn't be at risk since the macula was no where near where I needed laser.
The first 3 weeks I was so fixated on the fact my pupil was still dilated. I was so upset by it, but now I feel it's the least of my worries. I feel my pupil is getting better but it's still not 100% back to normal. I see small strides with my pupil, but the blurry up close vision is almost back to normal. It seems like my pupil is working over time to try and go back to its normal size and position and I have faith it will make it there since I continue to see improvement.
Then the 3rd-5th week I was getting flashing lights and shimmering in my peripheral vision. The shimmering is getting noticeably worse over time. The more light I am around through out the day, the more it acts up and comes into my vision. I notice it mostly when I look down on my phone, book, or just look down in general.
I've gone back 5 times since the laser on emergency visits and I am told everything is fine and sent home every single time. I don't believe at this point I am in any danger with my retina. But the side effects are destroying me.
I'm finally going for a second opinion this week. I just fear so badly that this flickering shimmering light is never going to subside. And it keeps getting worse. I can't believe this wasn't explained to me, and I have been reading about so many others going through the same thing. This just feels so wrong to me. I feel completely failed by the healthcare system.
I'm questing everything right now. I just want to know or to have someone see this post who has gone through what I'm going through and to tell me it will get better. Yoga is the only thing getting me through this difficult time and even then it's hard to remain positive.
Any coping skills would be greatly appreciated. And I really hope someone will tell me their situation has improved or give me some sort of hope. I really hope this isn't permanent.
I think I'm going through the same thing you are. I had laser to repair a tear about a month ago. I was fine the first week. Then I started getting a flashes in the side of my vision. Almost like a light moving. Only in the side though nothing straight ahead in my vision. This goes on all day long and stops and starts up again. It driving me crazy. I honestly feel like I could have dealt with the flashes and extra floaters compared to this. This is pretty consistent through out the day for me. I went back and told the dr and he said he wasn't concerned. I'm so angry because It's worse then what I had before. Going for second opinion soon. I'm pretty sure we are talking about the same thing
Yes. I had the streak of flashes for a few days going from light to dark rooms. Then it turned into this consistent shimmering that gets worse the more light I am exposed to throughout the day. Please keep me posted on your second opinion. I reached out to someone on tapatalk who had laser done in the same position I did (between 4:30-7:30) and I'm waiting to hear back. But I noticed he commented on a post with an update and said that after 2.5 years he has no side affects of the laser any longer. He mentioned the shimmer/flicker got better over time but has completely deminished after 2.5 years.
It's very disheartening and I can't believe I wasn't warned of this. It's worse than what I had before as well.
I had a retinal hole in area of lattice degeneration lasered on 8/29/17. Before the laser, I developed a floater and had very small streak of light in my peripheral vision in the left eye. After the laser I had a ridiculous amount of flashes, a couple of black blind spots, and small sparkles that come and go across my field of vision. I also have the static/shimmer on the entire half of my left eye closest to my nose in the periphery. It gets charged up in the light and is very noticeable when going from high light to dim light. It is constant. It does calm down when I lay in bed in the dark. I also have tiny little shimmer dots lights across my field of vision that come and go throughout the day. I've also developed the Blue Field Entopic phenomenon since having the laser done, and more floaters. It seems that instead of improving, I've developed more symptoms. I'm only 34 and the doctor said my Vitreous is more liquid than most (like that of an old person). How old are you all? I've seen on Tapatalk that some people have had the shimmer a long time while others have had long term improvement. I am honestly hoping to not have a retinal detachment because I believe this indicates retinal traction. Has anyone else noticed an increase in floaters and flashes since laser? I also was not made aware of all side effects. I have lattice in the other eye and am petrified of having 2 wild flashy eyes, it is hard to function at work like this.
I could have written this myself. Same thing happened to me and I was so mad that they acted like this Laser was no big deal. It’s one thing to have a minor blind spot in the peripheral but another thing to have constant flickering that your brain can’t just get used to. It’s been over a year for me and while it hasn’t disappeared, it has gotten less bright and takes up less space in peripheral
Hello Jes2000; reviewing your comments, I am feeling the same symptoms; please confirm me if yours symptoms have disappeared, nobody can tell me if it could disappear. Thanks.
Hello Tiffany; has the shimmering/flickering gotten better since your last post?; I have the very similar side effects that you describe. Have you heard of any treatment?
I appreciate your response. Thanks.
Hi Jes, I'm suffering from the exact same kind of shimmering light. Started 2 weeks after my laser was done, and it has been 4 weeks since the laser with no sign of diminishing. Would you say yours has decreased at all in the past 7 months? The doctors haven't found anything wrong with my eye and don't seem to take the shimmering seriously. I could really use any advice on how you have been coping with this. Thanks so much.
It has been 3 years I got the laser done.but in recent time those flashes are bothering me.. after laser in the first 2 years I used to get those.but last year it decreased but again I can feel the flickering lights In my lower perpheral side.I feel so low and depreesed nowadays..is there anyone who passed a couple of years after laser but still facing those problems? Do you guys follow any restrictions?
hi, i have the shimmering flickering light after laser tear surgery has yours gotten any better?
I have developed very similar symptoms post laser surgery for retinal detachment.
Seeing the wavy zigzag line(attached) in peripheral which feels like a light current. It is always there regardless of my eye is open or closed however, the rate of movement varies from time to time. It gets activated from outdoor to indoor and shimmering frequency is very high for some time and later it gets calmer. It is evident in indoor lights with or without light and less evident in outdoor/night time. Has anyone seen similar symptoms and has it improved/diminished over time? How have you developed coping mechanism?
Hi Noah,
I have developed very similar symptoms post laser surgery for retinal detachment.
Seeing the wavy zigzag line(attached) in peripheral which feels like a light current. It is always there regardless of my eye is open or closed however, the rate of movement varies from time to time. It gets activated from outdoor to indoor and shimmering frequency is very high for some time and later it gets calmer. It is evident in indoor lights with or without light and less evident in outdoor/night time. Have you seen similar symptoms and has it improved/diminished over time? How have you developed coping mechanism?
Hi Majafuz,
I have developed very similar symptoms post laser surgery for retinal detachment.
Seeing the wavy zigzag line(attached) in peripheral which feels like a light current. It is always there regardless of my eye is open or closed however, the rate of movement varies from time to time. It gets activated from outdoor to indoor and shimmering frequency is very high for some time and later it gets calmer. It is evident in indoor lights with or without light and less evident in outdoor/night time. Has anyone seen similar symptoms and has it improved/diminished over time? How have you developed coping mechanism?
hi, i have the same symptoms you have my surgery was in january for retinal tear the first 3 months trying to cope with it was really hard im almost a year out now and my brain has adjusted to it being there so it doesnt bother me that much anymore the brain does adjust to it it just takes timeim
so sorry you are going through this but know that the brain does adjust to it
Thanks @dana35538. I just passed that first 3 month phase and even though things may have improved slightly, I am having difficulty to cope up with. Could you share any tips on how you get used to it and not think about it?
hi, you are not alone, im 26 year old doctor, i've had my barrage laser treatment done 3yrs back, i still have the lightning symptoms, its ok to be tensed at early times but on the go you will get adapted, thats what happened to me too. and get checked if you get the symptoms increased in number than usual, other than that live a happy life :).
i think your retina may be healing and in time the flickering will subside. i say this because I had cataract surgery and that too can bring on the shimmering flickering. i had it after my cataract surgery in Feb. It was especially bad in flourescent lighting like Walgreens, Target etc. It seemed like a peripheral strobe livht. After about 4 months it improved. Now I notice it most in low light but i think my brain has tuned it out. It's called Neuro adaptation. My guess is yours will get better with time. I know how hard it is to ignore it so best you can do is try not to fixate on it. I'm sorry you ate having this:(
hi everyone, glad to have found this discussion as it is one of those times that I notice shimmering on my peripheral vision, left eye. hoping its just the anxiety of this pandemic that causes me to feel/see things more than usual.
Sharing my experience to help and hopefully get answers too.
I had vitrectomy, scleral buckle ,laser and IOL transplant done on both eyes, my left eye about 3 years ago and right eye 4 years ago.
Current situation:
Left eye- some blind spots and wavy line. hazy peripheral vision. There are time like now that i see shimmering on my peripheral vision.
Right Eye- macula got detached 5 years ago and I didn't have it operated on for a month. tunnel vision with a huge blind spot in the middle. there is this constant ceiling fan effect that I can see 24/7 but I guess my brain has gotten used to it.
I had these side-effects since right after my procedures and my doctor always says it is stable so I am thinking what we are all experiencing are the collateral damage to save a significant amount of our vision. they are always there but our brain gets used to it. There are times that make me worry, like bow that I could see the shimmering in my left eye more often.
Usually what I do to make sure that its not a new tear is I go in for an eye examination but unfortunately, I am bot able to do that due to this pandemic, which makes me anxious and worried.
Hopefully you guys could share your own experiences and let me know if there is anything I could do to know if this is a new tear or just one of the usual shimmers I see due to the trauma my eyes took from the procedures.
Thank you everyone.
hi matt, im
so sorry you are going through this too . for me, im over one year out now and my symptoms have been the same i too have that flickering ceiling like fan light in my peripheral along with a ton of floaters and black spots. since you think you have new symptoms, maybe you should just put a call into your doctor to see what he thinks i know with me my flickering gets worse when i change lighting but then seems to adapt to the new lighting after a few minutes
Hi Dana,
thank you for replying. its actually a symptom that i've had for the longest time but now it makes me worry so much more probably because of the situation, thinking to myself that this is the worst time to have to go to the hospital for anything since I might get exposed to the virus. i think i have not niticed it too much the past times because I was so busy with work compared to now that we have so much time to think.
So i guess we are on the same boat? these are effects we have to live with and get used to right? to be honest, i wouldnt mind living with it so long as I get an assurance that my eyes are "okay"