| Photopsia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| This is an approximation of the zig-zag visual of ascintillating scotoma as a migraine aura. It moves and vibrates, expanding and slowly fading away over the course of about 20 minutes. | |
| Specialty | Ophthalmology, Neurology |
| Symptoms | Flickering lights or flashes in the field of vision, along with pain, loss of colour perception, and eventual vision loss are also part of the damage to the optic nerve during optic neuritis[1] |
| Usual onset | Duringpregnancy |
| Duration | Migraine with aura, which includes photopsia 39% of the time, typically lasts 10 to 20 minutes and often is followed by a headache.[2] |
| Causes | Peripheral (Posterior) vitreous detachment, retinal detachment, age-related macular degeneration, ocular (retinal) migraine / migraine aura, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, optic neuritis, occipital lobe infarction (similar to occipital stroke), sensory deprivation (ophthalmopathic hallucinations) |
| Risk factors | Above age 50 (risk of retinal detachment)[3] |
| Treatment | In most cases, photopsia is a symptom of a preexisting condition. The underlying condition must be identified and treated to resolve the symptoms. |
Photopsia is the presence of perceived flashes of light in thefield of vision.
It is most commonly associated with:[4]
Vitreous shrinkage orliquefaction, which is the most common cause of photopsia, causes a pull in vitreoretinal attachments, irritating theretina and causing it to discharge electrical impulses. These impulses are interpreted by thebrain as flashes.
This condition has also been identified as a common initial symptom ofpunctate inner choroiditis (PIC),[5] a rare retinalautoimmune disease believed to be caused by theimmune system mistakenly attacking and destroying theretina. Duringpregnancy, new-onset photopsia is a concern for severepreeclampsia.
Photopsia can present asretinal detachment when examined by anoptometrist orophthalmologist. However, it can also be a sign ofuveal melanoma. This condition is extremely rare (affecting 5–7 per 1 million people, typically fair-skinned, blue-eyed northern Europeans). Photopsia should be investigated immediately.
Several conditions affecting the eyes can cause photopsia to occur. The underlying condition must be identified and treated to resolve the symptoms.
Peripheral (posterior) vitreous detachment occurs when the gel around theeye separates from theretina. This can naturally occur with age. However, if it occurs too rapidly, it can cause photopsia which manifests in flashes andfloaters in thevision. Typically, the flashes and floaters go away in a few months.
The retina lines the inside of theeye. It is light-sensitive and communicates visual messages to the brain. If the retina detaches, it moves and shifts from its normal position. This can cause photopsia, but can also cause permanentvision loss. Medical attention is needed to prevent vision loss. Procedures may include laser treatment, freezing, orsurgery.
Age-relatedmacular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye condition among people aged 50 and older. Themacula is a part of the eye that helps you see sharply straight ahead. With AMD, the macula slowly deteriorates which can cause photopsia.
Migraines are a type of recurring headache. Migraines typically cause severe pain in the head, but can also cause visual changes known asauras. Migraines can also causevisual snow.
Optic neuritis is aninflammation that damages theoptic nerve. It's linked tomultiple sclerosis (MS). Along with flickering or flashing witheye movement, symptoms include pain, loss ofcolour perception, andvision loss.
Theoccipital lobe is one of four lobes in thebrain. It controls the ability to see things. Impaired blood flow to the cells of the occipital lobe (ischemia, for example as caused by aTIA orVertebrobasilar insufficiency) will lead to temporary visual problems; if the poor blood flow is sustained it will lead tocell death (infarction, for example as caused by astroke) which may cause persistent visual problems.
The main symptoms associated with an occipital lobe infarction involve changes to vision such as:
Sensory deprivation or ophthalmopathic hallucination arehallucinations that appear in thefield of vision.
Photopsias is defined as an effect on the vision that causes appearances of anomalies in thevision. Photopsias usually appear as:
Photopsias are not generally a condition on their own, but asymptom of another condition.