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Seeing Spots--Brief Flashes Of Light

collins146

By collins146
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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collins146 Apprentice
collins146
Posted

does anyone on here see spots for just an instant? I've heard this can be due to malnutrition--possibly poor nutrient absorbtion. I've experienced this for a while and it seems to come and go. It went away when I was on st johns wort and also seemed to go away when I first went gluten free. Maybe serotonin?

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DownWithGluten Explorer
DownWithGluten
Posted

does anyone on here see spots for just an instant? I've heard this can be due to malnutrition--possibly poor nutrient absorbtion. I've experienced this for a while and it seems to come and go. It went away when I was on st johns wort and also seemed to go away when I first went gluten free. Maybe serotonin?

Uh, maybe. I mean I don't know exactly what you're seeing. But definitely those times right before I've passed out...things get blotchy and spotty then all turns black :lol:

But there've been a few times in my life, if I'm lying down and get up suddenly or...something. I might see some splotches. A few times I've seen little sparking things. not really a light but...dunno what that is...look like little dull shooting stars or something that are there if I close my eyes too, lasting only a few seconds. And that's been only a few times in my entire life, and again I think it might have to do with blood flow to my head or something. Not sure if it's a gluten thing.

But I don't want to minimize what you're seeing because yours could be something different. Do you feel light-headed at the same time? That could be lack of food/blood flow thing going on. But I'd say if it happens often and intrusively you might want to get it checked out.

kbtoyssni Contributor
kbtoyssni
Posted

Seeing flashes of light and stars can mean a torn retina which is something you should see an eye doc about ASAP.

Black specs in your vision is usually usually caused by "floaters", small pieces of things like blood in the eyes. That's normal and nearly everyone has some.

opus88 Newbie
opus88
Posted

I have a huge issue with floaters - my eye doctor often comments that I have more than my share of them! Many times, as the tiny glob of vitreous fluid detaches, it can cause that little flash of light. It definitely warrants an eye exam just to be sure, but it likely is nothing more serious than that. If that is what's going on with you, other than it being annoying when floaters make it a little harder to see clearly, there is no real harm from it.

luvs2eat Collaborator
luvs2eat
Posted

I've had several episodes in my life of flashing lights... sort of in a circle. The first time I had it I was in a grocery store and I kept blinking my eyes to see if it would go away. I wondered if it might be an "aura" and I was going to have a seizure or something!! About 20 min. later, the circle of flashing had reduced to maybe 1/4 of a circle. I ended up going to my ophthalmologist, who asked me if I'd experienced a wicked headache afterward? I hadn't. He told me it was an ophthalmic migraine... w/ no headache. I've had it maybe twice since that first time... in about 15 years.

RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted

I have had some brief slashes on rare occasions. More when I was little than later. Maybe just one "spark", and I could tell it wasn't actually emitting from any objects around me. There was one or two times when multiple flashes occurred within a second or two. Seems to me I read something about it someplace over the last year or two, but don't recall the details. Just that it happens to many people with Celiac. I'd guess malnutrition could possibly cause it.

irish daveyboy Community Regular
irish daveyboy
Posted

I have had some brief slashes on rare occasions. More when I was little than later. Maybe just one "spark", and I could tell it wasn't actually emitting from any objects around me. There was one or two times when multiple flashes occurred within a second or two. Seems to me I read something about it someplace over the last year or two, but don't recall the details. Just that it happens to many people with Celiac. I'd guess malnutrition could possibly cause it.

I've experienced flashes or darting light in conjunction with Migraine.

I know when an attack is coming on because I see zig-zag lines around the periphery of my vision.

As it progresses the zig zag line close into the centre of my vision. When I was young I was told that it was a sign of an upset stomach ??

As the Migraine progresses, bolts of pain can be felt along the eyebrows like someone shoving a 6" nail into your skull.

The pain then travels over the top of my head and manifests itself in the 2 tendons at the base of the skull.

After which I see darts of light, shooting stars.

I've read it's your brain visualizing neurons travelling along nerves towards your brain.

Anyway as soon as I notice the zig zag lines, I take a soluble pain killer (acts faster) and all is well.

I had these pre-Celiac and occasionally since, I believe they are 'stress' related.

Best Regards,

David

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

does anyone on here see spots for just an instant? I've heard this can be due to malnutrition--possibly poor nutrient absorbtion. I've experienced this for a while and it seems to come and go. It went away when I was on st johns wort and also seemed to go away when I first went gluten free. Maybe serotonin?

It could be lots of things but: When I was extremely anemic from this Celiacs, This sort of thing would happen more often. That was because my blood couldn't carry oxygen like it should. My Hub has this when he gets dehydrated.

Rondar2001 Apprentice
Rondar2001
Posted

I have this occassionaly lasting up to 2 hours. After a clean MRI, my doctor said it is probably a migrane, I just don't get the pain that most people do. Still I would check it out just in case.

bluebonnet Explorer
bluebonnet
Posted

i sometimes have these really quick specs or dots of a bright spot that go as fast as it came. i have several floaters. i also have had those ocular migranes where my eyes get really freaky vision and blackness going on. i have the "sparkly vision" sometimes too when i look at a bright sky or a white piece of paper... almost like fizzling fireworks. i go to the eye doc yearly to be safe. i always thought it to be from my insomnia, stress or now i'm paying for years of being a kid outside not wearing sunglasses.

bottom line, go to the eye doc to be sure it isn't anything harmful to your vision. B)

4berrys Newbie
4berrys
Posted

Yes! This happens really badly when I have been getting trace gluten that creeps up on me! This last summer the floaters were so bad I had trouble concentrating on what I was reading :unsure: When I figured out what the mystery gluten was coming from and removed it, the floaters took months to go away still. I used to also get the 'lighted' floaters that looked like they were glowing from the corner of my eyes. My 17yo daughter also has visual disturbances when she gets gluten----floaters, flashes and dark 'clouds' out of the corners of her eyes. I just figure that since gluten causes neurological problems in us----this is just part of the toxic neurological response.

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