# swirls before my eyes...



## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I really didn't know what to title this... 
Sometimes during last fall, or the winter, or, well I am bad with time... I bought new glasses at the beginning of this year and I know it happened before that...

So, I was sitting outside with my oldest daughter looking up at the sky. We were both noticing TONS of TINY dots moving around like crazy... something I was told was likely just blood cells. Interesting. That's unimportant really... 
While I was looking up I noticed that when I looked left or right there was something else in my vision that I had not noticed before... can't say as to whether it's been there before but, this was my first time seeing it.
Basically when I looked side to side a swirly darker area would move along with my eyes... I say swirly because it wasn't solid... it wasn't a particular shaped object. It looked more like a wisp of smoke or something. It swirled and then I didn't really notice it... move my eyes again and there it is again... swirling around. Naturally, I kept trying to see it. I would only see it if I was looking at a plain, solid, light background... like the sky, or a white wall, or the ceiling. Anywhere else and it really wasn't noticeable...
So, when I did go in to get new glasses, and a new prescription  , I talked to the guy about it. After getting the prescription correct, he took a closer look at the structure of my eyes or something... He didn't see anything wrong... So... all he had was a suggestion as to what it MIGHT be.
He said that when you're young, the center of your eye is a bit more jelly like... and as you age, it turns a bit more watery...
And... maybe I was seeing that. :shrug:
I sometimes find it a little more noticeable now then before. I can only see it if I'm moving my eyes... once my eyes stop moving, the swirling stops and I don't see it. 
I THINK it might be a little more noticeable now than the first time I saw it 8+ months ago but it could also just be that I'm more aware of it. Hard to say. But, it's been there for so long now I'm thinking, it's there to stay.

Anyone have anything like this happen? Or, have a better idea than my eye doctor did about what it could be? I've tried googling but haven't found anything that quite matches what I'm seeing... and, I was on the site already today and though, I might as well ask.


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

Maybe _floaters_?

I used to see these a lot when I was younger, never see them anymore though. Supposed to be the other way around. May not be what your swirls are, but it sort of sounds like it.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I was hoping for a few responses but, oh well. 
I did a little reading on wikipedia about floaters... they list the different types and it includes a type that was like what the eye doctor described... having to do with the change within the eye... but the description didn't quite match what I see... at least, I sure don't think it does.
I sure hope it doesn't get worse as I get older. I'm ONLY 35... hehe... in some ways I feel like I'm still a kid... in too many ways sometimes... but in other ways, I sure feel old.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

What is your BP?


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I was randomly thinking about adding a little to this topic today. I have a couple of other minor visual issues that are unrelated but, I don't think I was getting much with this topic anyway.
This particular swirling thing is constant. I don't see it ALL the time but I can see it any time I look for it while looking at a light, un-patterned background such as the sky or a ceiling.
I am not sure what my blood pressure is right now. It's not something I check regularly. In general, including several doctor's visits since this started, my blood pressure is normal to slightly low but within normal. 110 or 120 over 60ish usually I think. My memory is a little fuzzy but I believe it was something like that... only had them check it a second time once because it was a little off.
Maybe next time I'm in walmart I'll check it again just for the fun of it.

I intend to go to the doctor some time in the near future... I want to discuss a LIST of minor things...
The other thing I was going to mention here today that is not a visual or permanent thing like these swirls... 
Migraines... I normally get a handful a year... I get the aura first which I HATE... drives me nuts trying to look at things. I normally get one a month or less. 
This past 2 months I've had 6-8 I'd say... at least. While on vacation last month I got them 4 days in a row which has never happened before. Got one today... fortunately the headache part of it isn't always that bad.

Other random thing... spots... You know when you stand up too quickly or get the wind knocked out of you or something... you see spots everywhere... BRIGHT dots moving really fast... That can happen to me while in the shower. I don't know if hold me breath when the water is in my face, or what happens... but, it happens once in a while... is mild, and no big deal. (I don't think I have the best circulation though)
The past week or so, there's been a few times that I have seen ONE SINGLE spot... a bright dot like I'd see in the above situations... but, just one by itself... would travel across my field of vision and then be gone. And it's happened at random times, even while just sitting here. 
Eh... who knows I guess.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I don't think I have ever heard of Auras moving like that, but I may be wrong. An aura would be either migrane related of something with the brain. The moving lights are sometimes caused by hypertension like when pregnant women have pre-eclampsia. I would think a medical check up would be in order just to see if the doctor thinks you need an MRI of the brain or something.
I hope whatever it is that it turns out to be nothing important, just a mild issue that is easily fixed.


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## Badger (Jun 11, 2010)

It might be a form of ocular migrain. I get a form of them sometimes. No pain tho, just vision disruption.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I have this ability to explain so many things that people misunderstand me. I was explaining two separate things.

I get migraines with auras... I get the aura first and a headache follows. The aura bugs me more than the headache most times... once in a while I get a nasty headache with it... and some of them last all day.

Second thing i was talking about isn't related at all... isn't an aura... it's one tiny little dot, the exact kind of spot you see when you're seeing spots... a TINY and bright dot that moves around... The only different between this and "seeing spots" is that this one is by itself. It moves across my vision, as most "spots" do, and is gone. Takes a whole one to two seconds and it's done. It isn't anything I've experienced before (though, seeing spots is something I have) and it has happened at least 4 or 5 times in the past week or so.
It makes me feel like maybe I was about to "see spots" but somehow one was enough... as in, whatever was causing me to see spots wsan't bad enough to see more than one. I don't really know.
I AM certain it has to do with my head. At least 2 or 3 of the times that I've seen this lone spot come and go were on days I had a migraine as well. 

I INTEND to see a doctor... I am KING of procrastinators... I have no insurance so the place I go to is a local clinic that will charge based on income. They charge me $20 a visit and if I have further tests, those are on a sliding scale as well. Had an x-ray for $15 once... that sort of thing. It all depends. I have to update them with financial info every so often and that every so often has come and gone some months ago. I've been getting bills... all I have to do is bring them two consecutive pay stubs from my wife and that will be in order... that got put off for a little while because my wife couldn't find two consecutive stubs... she's just a little more organized than I am. ha. 
Anyway... we have those in the van now... so now, I just need to drive there, show them, and make an appointment. I should have done that this week... I was in town this week. But, it just didn't happen for whatever reason. 
A scan of my brain is something I've been wanting for a while... I'm just not sure they'll recommend it... or how much it will cost even after I get a discounted price. Those things are RIDICULOUS... 

I still wonder about those swirls in my eyes as that's something physical with the eye... I'll have that on my list of things to talk to the doctor about. It's getting to be a long list. :/


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## Peggy (Feb 14, 2010)

you need to go to a good eyedoctor! I have something called lattice degeneration. (holes in the lining of eyes. I also get migrines. about 7 years ago I got 21+ migrines in 2 weeks time. they only stopped when I went back on meds. after the migrine were under control I noticed little white circles on the edge of my visions. I also have spots and dots dancing around in front of my vision. I 'm not saying that is what you have but the point is please dont wait, go see the eye doctor! at least for peace of mind.


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## bama (Aug 21, 2011)

do you have astigmatism? i have been told that because my astigmatism is so severe, i am at a high risk of retinal detachment. the eye drs basically say that it will be like a curtain dropping over either part of the eye or the whole eye.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

ew, I sure hope that doesn't happen to me. But yes, I have an astigmatism in both eyes... and it has gotten a little worse over the past few years.


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