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Apart from floaters, have noticed any flashes of light in the recent past in that eye?
Is the vision blurred or foggy as if looking through a veil or curtain ( in the entire field or any part of the visual field) in that eye?
I just noticed that you have entered the chat. Could you please go through the questions asked and reply to them as it would be very helpful. Thank you.
vision seems foggy at times
I don't think I've had any flashes of light ? Would they be often ?
It is common for floaters to be preceded by flashes of light.
No just the floaters - seems more often looking at computer screen and television.
Since the vision is foggy at times ( not constantly blurred ) it looks like the vision is fine other wise.
Yes, I think so.
Just wondering if this is an emergency situation or can it wait for eye
Ok. A sudden bout of floaters can be seen in case of posterior vitreous detachment(PVD) and in case of retinal detachment(RD).
What does this mean, can this wait until eye exam - Momday or is this
considered an emergency, it is 11:30 PM in Charleston, SC
Of the two conditions, RD is an ocular emergency and needs immediate treatment by a retinal surgeon. It is characterised by a sudden bout of a shower of floaters, flashes of light and a drastically foggy or blurred vision either in the entire field or only in certain part of the visual field.
No flashes of light and I would not say drastically foggy or blurred ?
Moreover RD would not occur in a normal eye just out of the blue. More often than not it is seen in predisposed eyes such as high myopia( short sightedness), diabetes mellitus, following eye injury/trauma and so on.
I am considered near sighted, where glasses for distance. No injury or trauma - just started today,
I can get an appointment with optomotrist for eye exam tomorrow, should they be able
What is the power of your spectacles , in case you remember?
Optomitrist be able to diagnose
No certain of prescription strength of glasses - distance vision is blurry without glasses.
Can usually read close up without glasses on.
Yes, an optometrist should be able to atleast identify that there is an abnormality in the eye. Based on the vision in the right eye( with and without glasses for distance) and by a dilated eye exam ( a frank RD can be picked up but I don't think an optometrist would be able to identify peripheral retinal tears or holes). But either way it would be better to get the dilated eye exam confirmed by an ophthalmologist only.
If the dilated eye exam( fundus) is found to tbe normal then the floaters is most likely to be due to PVD.
In this condition the thick gel at the back of the eye( called vitreous) gets detached from its surrounding retina . This results in retinal traction which results in the symptom of flashes of light and includes color distortion.Flashes of light may not be prominent in some individuals. Once the vitreous gets detached completely , it may form clumps or strands and cause symptom of floaters such as dark spots, cobweb or thread like strands in the visual field. More often it is not a serious issue and does not require any specific treatment. A routine retina examination needs to be done by an ophthalmologist just to check for the intactness of the retina and to look for any peripheral retinal tears or holes, which if found, can be sealed by lasers.
well noted, my main question is can this wait until next Monday to see opthamologist ?
In my opinion, yes it can be shown to an ophthalmologist on monday.
ok, thank you.
Rather MUST be examined by an ophthalmologist on monday.
You are welcome.