Flash of light in left eye and twitching

[leeteeh]

for the past 5 months Ive had this strange flashing of light in my left eye, its almost like a dot a very bright blue/ white light, sometimes it looks purple or ultraviolet almost. it happened any time and anywhere there is no pattern or trigger, it happens even in a totally dark room when Im sleeping even when my eye shut which to me confirms its not the eye or light coming in but possibly caused by the brain. I have noticed in the last 2 weeks when Im driving I will see more blue light flashes in my vision, more than just a small dot but almost like a smear of blue but this only happens when driving so I wasn't sure if that was car lights making things worse.
Ive had my eyes tested and they did extra testing for detachment and cancers of the eye and said my eye sight and eye health is very good to mention this to a Dr because the issue isn't coming from the eye. when Ive mentioned it one Dr wanted to do a physical neurological exam (not sure what that is) but the next Dr I saw has brushed it off and said its probably nothing because Im young... I hate that response.
in the last month my left eye has now started twitching under my eye, very annoying and just adding to the confusing issue with my left eye.
has anyone ever had anything like this ? Im not supplementing anything or eating any different, Im thinking I should demand a brain MRI or something as my eyes are good and healthy.

 

[AlaskaJono]

@leeteeh
It is most probably a type of migraine called Ocular Migraine or retinal migraine. Except usually not any other symptom or headache or even nausea. Just the visual stuff.
Or it is a TIA, Transient Ischemic Attack, which is brain shutting down certain areas related to the visual experience. Probably not that one. I know, as I have these occasionally, and they only started about when I was 30. That was 30 years ago.

Wearing good quality polarized lens sunglasses help me, and also using f.lux program on the computer helps to dial in less blue and more 'yellow' light.
For me it tends to happen with very bright light like glare from sunlight on cars or windows, or peripheral sunlight, or very rare - computer light.
I maybe get one or 3 a year. I mentioned this to my dad a few years ago and he said he also gets them on rare occasions. Anyhow.... I wouldn't get brain surgery over it, and

If you can get this when you first have symptoms/signs, it is excellent.
Excederin Extra in the USA, that works when I get one, but must still ride it out for an hour or so. Also Anadin Extra in the UK is similar. Aspirin/caffeine/acetamenophen.

I your eye is twitching, then maybe you are doing too much computer? or Looking at something? Anyhow, take an epsom salt bath to relax.... .
Take care.

 

[HeyThere]

for the past 5 months Ive had this strange flashing of light in my left eye, its almost like a dot a very bright blue/ white light, sometimes it looks purple or ultraviolet almost. it happened any time and anywhere there is no pattern or trigger, it happens even in a totally dark room when Im sleeping even when my eye shut which to me confirms its not the eye or light coming in but possibly caused by the brain. I have noticed in the last 2 weeks when Im driving I will see more blue light flashes in my vision, more than just a small dot but almost like a smear of blue but this only happens when driving so I wasn't sure if that was car lights making things worse.
Ive had my eyes tested and they did extra testing for detachment and cancers of the eye and said my eye sight and eye health is very good to mention this to a Dr because the issue isn't coming from the eye. when Ive mentioned it one Dr wanted to do a physical neurological exam (not sure what that is) but the next Dr I saw has brushed it off and said its probably nothing because Im young... I hate that response.
in the last month my left eye has now started twitching under my eye, very annoying and just adding to the confusing issue with my left eye.
has anyone ever had anything like this ? Im not supplementing anything or eating any different, Im thinking I should demand a brain MRI or something as my eyes are good and healthy.

Agreed, sounds like a typical SILENT Migraine. These are migraines without any actual pain, which makes it so very confusing to figure out. What you describe is what I get, except not as often as you are getting them.

Try to see if you pulled a neck muscle lately, or have some sort of neck/shoulder straining from something. Pay attention to if having your arm up on the steering wheel is a factor or not (which affects your shoulders/ neck).

Do you have more stress lately.
Are you sleeping any differently/ different pillow / different position, etc.

My first huge Silent Migraine aura kicked in after drinking a huge Slurpee when I was in my 30s.

 

[Michael Mohn]

Due to stress/overtraining I had developed a tick in my teens, when I was stressed I would blink with my eyes very often. When I started eating collagen rich foods the tick disappeared. Glycine is very calming for the nerve system. It might be worth a try. Eating occasionally liver was very helpful too.

 

[RealNeat]

wear blue blockers while driving the deep yellow ones not orange or you may fall asleep. those zenon lights are terrible for your eyes, also yawn to lubricate your eyes and blink a lot. consuming berries should help, especially amla. also using natural calcium channel blockers like Mg should help the twitching and avoid emf

 

[HeyThere]

Also add to my post: How is your blood pressure?

The blue/purple/white dot is exactly a migraine that hasn't fully blown into a full visual aura.

 

[leeteeh]

thanks for the responses everyone. I dont drive often at all and also dont use many screens. never heard of these silent migraines affecting visions but now I've searched it they dont soon dlike what I am experiencing. I have just a very small pen size Dot of light that flashes once or twice in my vision multiple times a day always in the left side and have had for months, with now eye switching, the other "smudges" of blue only happened that one time actually whilst in the car at night so that may have been due to the car lights I thought but this dot if light happened even in total darkness and times when I've looked at no screens or any driving that week so I dont see an obvious connection there at all.

 

[HeyThere]

thanks for the responses everyone. I dont drive often at all and also dont use many screens. never heard of these silent migraines affecting visions but now I've searched it they dont soon dlike what I am experiencing. I have just a very small pen size Dot of light that flashes once or twice in my vision multiple times a day always in the left side and have had for months, with now eye switching, the other "smudges" of blue only happened that one time actually whilst in the car at night so that may have been due to the car lights I thought but this dot if light happened even in total darkness and times when I've looked at no screens or any driving that week so I dont see an obvious connection there at all.

The dot is the precursor to a full visual aura THAT MIGHT NOT TRANSPIRE. All I get is the stark blue/white dot now. Only that one Slurpee time did it go into the full visual. Now the dot just fades away in minutes for me.

It might be hormonal. It might be a maladjustment in your spine. It might be a deep muscle in your neck that is pulled. It might even be sinuses/sinus pressure. Or you are in a point in your life where you developed migraines.

 

[leeteeh]

The dot is the precursor to a full visual aura THAT MIGHT NOT TRANSPIRE. All I get is the stark blue/white dot now. Only that one Slurpee time did it go into the full visual. Now the dot just fades away in minutes for me.

It might be hormonal. It might be a maladjustment in your spine. It might be a deep muscle in your neck that is pulled. It might even be sinuses/sinus pressure. Or you are in a point in your life where you developed migraines.

Interesting. Mine is always a flashing dot or a one flash of dotted light that if I focus my vision on the area of the dot it will go. Meaning if it’s in my upper vision and I look up I has gone by the time I try to focus on it. It’s never actually always there to look it especially as it’s a flash on and off. Lasts seconds but can happen so many times throughout the day. It’s getting broader is movement and size now. I do have severe neck neck and back tightness that needs relief from popping the joints. And an old back injury that sometimes tightens up if I overuse my back muscle.

 

[AlaskaJono]

Mine is always a flashing dot or a one flash of dotted light that if I focus my vision on the area of the dot it will go. Meaning if it’s in my upper vision and I look up I has gone by the time I try to focus on it. It’s never actually always there to look it especially as it’s a flash on and off.

Yes, this is exactly what several of us were mentioning. If the colour or light is up and to the left, when you look up and to the left, it moves more! etc... . Same phenomenon as what we were describing. The brain - probably visual cortex - is creating this phenomenon triggered by something, usually light of some kind be it peripheral, or blue light, or wrong spectrum, or could be 'other'. Check people's suggestions above.