What is flashing light in the eyes? I would like you to describe the flash of light… Do the flashes of light occur constantly or occasionally during the day? (If from time to time, how often and for how long does it continue?)
Light flashes are the sparkles and sparkles we see in an area of our vision. It may look like a 'lightning flash or lighter spark' image. It can occur in one eye or in both eyes. It often occurs suddenly, and its duration and recurrences vary depending on the underlying cause.
Is flashing light a common problem? How common is it?
Sudden flashes of light in one eye are a very common finding, especially over the age of 60. Its duration is short (seconds), it may recur with eye movements and may be accompanied by eye floaters. A flash of light occurring in one eye is usually a sign of a disorder occurring in that eye. A less common type of light flashes that occur in both eyes are usually longer lasting (15-30 minutes) and may be accompanied by blurred vision or zigzag patterns; If such a flash of light is accompanied by a severe headache, the underlying cause may be a migraine-type headache or visual center disorder in the brain rather than an intraocular problem.
Is the flash of light a serious condition?
Both types of light flashes may indicate an important underlying clinical condition and require examination as soon as possible.
Why does flashing light occur? (Which mechanism and what kind of problem causes this cause?)
The most common cause of flashes of light accompanied by floaters that occur in one eye is the force exerted on the retina by the intraocular fluid called vitreous, which fills a large part of the eye. This fluid becomes more fluid as a natural part of the aging process in the eye and pulls on the retina, causing flashes of light. Additionally, when something hits our eyes, we see flashes of light with the same mechanism. Flashes of light may also occur in cases of bleeding within the eye or other inflammatory diseases of the eye; In this case, there may be dots floating in front of the eye and a decrease in vision. Occurs in both eyes Flashes of light accompanied by vision and headache occur as a result of more complex cerebral mechanisms and may be accompanied by headache.
In whom is it more common, why?
75% of the intraocular fluid is over the age of 65. Light flashes are frequently observed, especially in this age group, due to their frequent separation from the retina. In addition, this complaint can be encountered at any age, including people who have had an accident or surgery on their eyes, myopes, and those with intraocular inflammatory disease. People with flashes of light in both eyes often have a history of headaches or migraines. These complaints can also occur in childhood, and are more common especially in children with a family history of migraine.
What problems does it indicate? (I ask you to write this section in detail)
A sudden flash of light in one eye is almost always a sign of a disease or condition within the eye. This may be due to the separation of the vitreous fluid in the eye from the retina, which is part of the natural aging process of the eye. It may also be caused by inflammatory disease in the eye or intraocular bleeding. As the underlying cause of blurred vision occurring in both eyes and accompanied by headache may be a disease affecting the visual center of the eye or a migraine disease, tests can be performed for this and the patient may be referred to a specialist in Eye Neurology (Neuro-Ophthalmology) and a Neurologist.
When does it indicate a serious problem? What is the importance of early treatment?
If the sudden flash of light in one eye is caused by the vitreous fluid separating from the retina, it may cause a retinal tear at a rate of 15%. The risk of tearing is even higher if there is accompanying bleeding (which can be felt as floaters). If the retinal tear can be detected at this stage, it can be treated with laser therapy under outpatient clinic conditions. If vitreous fluid passes under the retina through this tear, a disease called 'Retinal Detachment' occurs. In this case, the treatment is surgery.
In which case should we consult an ophthalmologist without wasting time? (Severity or duration or frequency) In terms of light)
Sudden flashes of light in the eye are an important reason to consult an ophthalmologist without delay in any case. Especially in younger myopic patients, flashes of light that occur after eye trauma or with eye floaters may underlie a condition that requires urgent treatment. Since it may not be accurate to establish a relationship between the shape or frequency of light flashes and the formation of a tear in the retina, a detailed eye examination will shed light on the underlying cause.
What kind of problem may occur if it is not treated in time?
Laser treatment of the tear in the retina is a frequently applied treatment in daily practice. A patient who consults an ophthalmologist at the beginning of his complaints will both ensure early treatment of his disease and prevent retinal detachment that may occur due to fluid entering under the tear. In case of retinal detachment that will develop if tears that require timely intervention are not treated, the treatment will inevitably be surgery.
How is flashing light treated? I would like you to explain the treatment in a few sentences... for example, if a laser operation is applied... (What is done in the operation, how long does it take, can the patient return to his/her daily life on the same day, how long does the operation take, what is the success rate, etc.)
Laser applied for retinal tears. The treatment is an outpatient treatment with a suitable laser device available in eye polyclinics. Before the treatment, some drops must be instilled into the eye and waited for 30-60 minutes to dilate the pupil. During the treatment, the surface of the eye is anesthetized with drops and a special lens to be used to direct the laser beam around the tear comes into contact with the eye surface. Laser treatment aims to prevent intraocular fluid from reaching under the retina through the tear by creating a burn layer around the tear. The treatment is painless in the majority of patients. Since the patient does not need to be hospitalized before or after this treatment, he can continue his daily life. However, due to the effect of the drops used to dilate the pupil, blurred vision occurs in the eye, and this effect lasts on average between 2-3 hours and 1 day, depending on the drops used. may change. In addition, it would be appropriate to restrict some activities such as sports during the approximately 1 week period required for the laser-induced burn to fully develop. Laser treatment greatly reduces the risk of retinal detachment, but regular eye checks should not be neglected as another retinal tear may develop in the future.
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