Iritis and light flashes

Post here to exchange iritis general information and support with others.

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Stacey

Iritis and light flashes

Post by Stacey »

I am new to this website and it has been a blessing. I was diagnosed with iritis 3 weeks agoin my right eye. My doctor said my case was particularly bad. I am 33 and have never had problems with my eyes. I had also never heard of iritis. I waited 7 days to see an opthamologist because another doctor said it was an infection. By the time I saw the opthamologist the pain was extreme. He said that my pupil is stuck to my lens. Will this unattach itself eventually? I am on steroid drops every hour, 2 different dialators 3 times a day and a finished a pack of oral steroids last week. The pain has been better but my vision is still pretty blurry. I also started having more floaters last week. The doctor did not seem too concerned. Yesterday my eye started hurting again - just sore and kind of dry feeling - and I started seeing light flashes in my peripheral vision. What could that indicate? Are light flashes normal?
Mike Bartolatz
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Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm

Light Flashes

Post by Mike Bartolatz »

Please contact your opthalmologist for another look at your eyes. what you describe as flashes of light can indicate very serious consequence of this disease. it can be produced by the vitreous tugging on the retina and if that is what is happening it can sometimes lead to tear of the retina with bleeding. your increase of floaters is of concern as it indicates that your amount of cells is increasing thus your inflammation is worse. It is impossible to say if your stuck iris will become unstuck. the doctor might try using Cocaine instilled directly into the eye to break the adhesion. if that doesn't work then when you need cataract surgery in the future the iris will be then unstuck from the lens.

I hope this helps,
Mike
Mike Bartolatz
Moderator
Stacey

Improvement -finally

Post by Stacey »

Thank you for your advice. I did go to the doctor this morning. He said it was looking a lot better. He took me off dialating drops and reduced steroid drops to 4x a day. He said the lens was no longer attached to the pupil. He also said I had developed a small cataract that he thought might go away. Is this pretty normal? He was not too concerned about the light flashes. He said my retina looked fine. He thought the light flashes may be caused by the inflammation. So can inflammation cause light flashes, is that a common symptom with iritis? Thanks again for your help.
Mike Bartolatz
Posts: 6595
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm

light flashes

Post by Mike Bartolatz »

flashes are usually caused by the vitreous tugging on the retina. CAtaract can be a consequence of the disease process and it can also be caused by steroids. so can raised intra ocular pressure. rainbows in you vision can signify elevated IOP. So can pain but not always present. Glad your iris is nolonger attached to the lens. I have never heard of cataracts going away. cataracts related to uveitis are usually called Subcapsular Cataracts. they are often small and very dense.

wish you the best,
Mike
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Diane
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:26 pm

Post by Diane »

I am at the tail end of my most recent flare up and have light flashes too. I went to a retinal specialist today and he injected a dye and took pictures of both eyes. When he was looking at my right eye he said something about a pucker and paving stones? Anyway, I will find out next week what all this is about.

I suddenly have blurry vision left over from this last bout of iritis and that is why I had a retina specialist looking at me today. Anybody else experience this and if so, what was the diagnosis and treatment?
Mike Bartolatz
Posts: 6595
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm

Macular Pucker

Post by Mike Bartolatz »

it sounds like you have developed what is known as a form of Epiretinal Membrane called Macular Pucker. a 'scab' forms over the retina and this then distorts the surface of the retina forming a pucker. I have this too. it causes distortion of vision in the area effected. it usually occurs after some time with inflammation. they can be removed but it is VERY DIFFICULT surgery and is only done after vision is SEVERLY effected to at least 20/80 or so. it has been likened to removing scotch tape from the surface of a grape with a scalple. I do know individuals who have had successful surgery here in the USA. Flashes of light are often related to traction on the retina from the vitreous membrane. the weight of the floaters that settle out of the fluid of the vitreous over time weight down the vitreous and cause this traction. in a younger individual this has to be monitored as retinal tear can occur with bleeding. if you see a black cloud or veil come over your vision get into the opthalmologist IMMEDIATELY as surgery is required to prevent further deterioration of vision.

I hope this helps,
Mike
Mike Bartolatz
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Diane
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:26 pm

Post by Diane »

Wow! I hope I don't have to wait until I have 20/80 vision. The chart test shows I am 20/30 right now but it just seems that my vision is alot worse than that. Lights at night are very bad. I work at FedEx as a courier and need that good vision. Thanks for the information. I should find out something soon.
Mike Bartolatz
Posts: 6595
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm

Coping

Post by Mike Bartolatz »

you might want to get some good quality driving glasses. the yellow tinted one help with oncoming glare from headlights. during the day I use Brown tinted wrap around sunglasses over my regular glasses (my eye are too dry to use contacts) on overcast days and dark green wrap around ones in very bright sunlight or when glare comes off of pavement from sunshine on wet pavement or snow etc.

you might ask if you can drive during the day as you are blind at night from the glare. the eye chart is a perfect lighting scenario and does not reflect true vision.

wish you the best,
Mike
Mike Bartolatz
Moderator
Stacey

light flashes

Post by Stacey »

Diane, please let us know what you find out about the light flashes. I have not seen the opthamologist since the last post. I go back on Wed. The light flashes are still pretty constant. I don't notice them much during the day, but I do notice them a lot at night or a darkened room. Do you have floaters too? I have a lot of kind of transluscent floaters, I can see through, I have gotten use to them. My vision does seem to be improving though even with the floaters and light flashes. The doctor did not see anything on my retina when he looked. At what point should I request a retinal exam by a specialist? That sounds expensive.
Stacey

light flashes

Post by Stacey »

Diane, please let us know what you find out about the light flashes. I have not seen the opthamologist since the last post. I go back on Wed. The light flashes are still pretty constant. I don't notice them much during the day, but I do notice them a lot at night or a darkened room. Do you have floaters too? I have a lot of kind of transluscent floaters, I can see through, I have gotten use to them. My vision does seem to be improving though even with the floaters and light flashes. The doctor did not see anything on my retina when he looked. At what point should I request a retinal exam by a specialist? That sounds expensive.
Diane
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:26 pm

Post by Diane »

Stacey, I talked to the technician for the retina specialist today. I have alittle scarring on both retinas from the annual iritis flare ups but no detached retinas or anything that the specialist can see that would cause this residual blurring in my long distance vision. I, like you notice my light flashes more at night or when I stand up from a sitting or lying position. Thank goodness it is not my retina but the doctor did say I still had some inflamation in my right eye (the one with blurry vision and light flashes). Yes, I have floaters too that are fairly translucent and don't bother me much. If you get any information from your doctor let us know.

Mike, I have put myself on Aleve twice a day. I will talk to my opthamologist about this and see if it can help prevent future iritis attacks.
Stacey

Post by Stacey »

I saw the doctor yesterday. My vision is also at 20/30. They don't know why I'm having light flashes and floaters. But everything looks fine. They are hoping it will eventually go away.
Diane
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:26 pm

Post by Diane »

Stacey, my light flashes usually go away with the tapering down of my iritis attacks. And the floaters seem to subside too. Hopefully yours will go away.
lhayes

iritis

Post by lhayes »

i am also new to this siteI have chronic iritis and uveitis, i have been dealing with this for several years.....I am 34 years old and have had two cataract surg and a third surg to clean my lens that was in my right eye...I have eye injections, i also take remicade and methotrexate ........and as of yet they still have not found out why this is going on....i work with a computer every day and sometime it is hard for me to wk....and drive at night.
my vision can change from day to day and worse when i wake up in the morning.......It is very discouraging when my family do not understand the vision changes. Sometime i do not recognize people at a certain distance. i am in a state of fear....i can improve and then wake up in the morning and can not see good our of one or both of my eyes.....
Mike Bartolatz
Posts: 6595
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 9:58 pm

please contact an ocular immunologist

Post by Mike Bartolatz »

DR Russel Read in Alabama can get you to remission and find out why the MTX and Remicade are not working for you. there are other drugs that can be used if they aren't working for you like Cellcept, Imuran, IVIG etc. it is imperative that you break this recurrent uveitis cycle or you will develop other complications like Glaucoma, epiretinal membranes, cystoid macular edema or retinal detachment. yours is not the form of uveitis that will 'burn out' in time. It could well be related to another autoimmune disease process or to a pathogen or masquerade syndrome.

Wish you the very best,
Mike
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