Medical question.... dots in one's vision? (not floaters)

[Lisa0825]

Hi, ya'll! I found at my former discussion place that a great way to get info was to post a question, because 9 times out of 10, another member has either experienced it or knows about it.


I am concerned about my best friend Kathy. She has been having problems with seeing spots in her line of vision. They tend to last from 10 to 20 minutes. She sometimes gets a headache afterwards. These spots are big enough to make it difficult for her to read, and she has also had to pull over while driving as well. Her doctor is an elderly country doc, and he ran blood tests, blood pressure, etc, and said he doesn't know what it is, but he doesn't seem concerned about it. Well, I am. One of her friends said she thought it was a precursor to migraines, because she experienced something similar, and now she gets migraines.

I told Kathy she should ask for a referral to a specialist. But what kind of speciialist should she see? Would it be a neurologist? And have any of you had any similar experiences with this?

Thanks for any info you might have!!!

:-)

[Zookeeper]

1. Has her doctor considered MS?

I've heard that can cause vision problems.

I hope she is OK.

[Lisa0825]

3. I don't know if he has...

She didn't mention it, and he doesn't seem to be taking her concerns seriously. I feel lik she should see a speciailist, because if it IS something serious, she should get early treatment.

Thanks for your input and concern.

[oneighty]

2. Is it?

A large see through spot?

Is it surrounded by a jagged and sometimes colorful halo?

180

[Lisa0825]

4. They are pretty large, but not see through.

I think she said they are dark grey. I don't know if they have a halo. She didn't mention that, but I can ask her.

[SoCalDem]

5. As someone with serious visual problems..here is my advice

ANYONE over age 40 should see an opthalmologist to have their eyes evaluated.. Lots of people in the wwaiting room of my opthalmologist are middle aged people with very serious conditions that went unnoticed for too long.. An optometrist fits glasses and that's about it..

Spots in the line of sight could be many things..none of them good..

The most benign is an "ocular migraine"..

She should see an opthalmologist ASAP.. Even if she has no insurance, being blind is no cheap proposition..

[Lisa0825]

9. Thanks for the info....

I will call her tonight and give her the info I got here, and make sure she sees a doctor. She does have insurance, so that won't be an issue. She's a teacher, and their plan here sucks so she pays a high premium. Might as well get her money's worth and make that appointment!!! I guess opthamologist would be a more logical first choice than neurologist.

Thank you!

[bratcatinok]

6. Sounds like

an ocular migraine. I had the same thing happen to me and it scared the hell out of me. I went to my pcp and after they ran test after test I was sent to an opthamologist and he diagnosed it as ocular migraine. No treatment for me though since it only happened twice.

[Lisa0825]

10. Thank you!

It happened to her several times over the past year, then seemed to bgo away for a while, and then came back. I'll make sure she sees an opthamologist.

[Miss Authoritiva]

7. Could be scotoma... (scary sounding word -- not serious)

You mentioned that she sometimes gets headaches with these. Migraines can be preceded by scotoma -- visual disturbances that can last from a few minutes or longer. Then the headache starts. As a migraine sufferer, I can tell you that the scotoma can be pretty spectacular --all sorts of visual effects. And they certainly can interfere with reading, driving, etc. Sometimes migraine sufferers will experience the scotoma but not get a headache.

Of course, visits to an eye doctor and/or neurologist/headache specialist are needed.

[Lars39]

8. Has she been to an ophthalmologist?

I'd go there first. If that didn't get to the bottom of the problem, I'd go to a neurologist for an MRI. Whatever route she takes, she doesn't need to procrastinate. Just my 2.

[Lisa0825]

11. Thank you Miss Authoritiva and Lars39.

Miss Authoritiva, yes, that sounds like what she is experiencing.

Thank you both for the input. I called and left her a message with the info I got here so far, and said she needed to make an appointment with an opthamologist.