Blurred/flashing vision pre-panic attack

Hi everyone!
I'm new to the boards and am very glad to have found your community :)

This morning i experienced strange and altered vision before and whilst having a panic attack including eye floaters and flashing coloured lights.

My problem started when i noticed a small floater, a blurry line in my vision... about half an hour after waking, it was in the corner of my eye but was in the way of my vision when i focused on things close and at a distance. The worry started when i rubbed my eye to try and clear it wouldn't go away... infact the more i rubbed and the more i started to worry the more the problem seemed to develop... When i closed my eyes i could see a small "burned" image of light in my vision where the blurred shape was (like after looking at a bright light) and soon as my panic got worse i noticed a larger line of red and yellow zigzag shape develop flashing in my vision and i continued to rub my eyes, but my sight went blurrier with the flashing colours more developing. My panic attack built up and i was heavy breathing and tight throat and terrified i was losing my vision or was going to pass out (I've never passed out before) so i just got changed and made a rapid decision to rush off on my bike to get to the hospital down the road. By this point my vision had an overlay of flashing yellow and red lights and I was terrified it was going get worse somehow... but as soon as i got outside the hospital my vision returned to normal. I decided to go back home without going into hospital, and now my vision seems better although slightly blurred as i am on the computer and now have a fairly bad headache.

I wanted to share this incase anyone can relate to or have experienced similar visual symptoms?

I have been spending alot of time on the computer lately whilst being fairly stressed out about coursework deadlines etc, so I'm just wondering how i can help myself, what to do next time if i get these visual symptoms again? and how to deal with the panic attack?



Your views and comments are very welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks

Jess

Hi there. I had a very similar experience today. I was on my way to a spot when out of my left eye I noticed wavy kinda flashing lights that got worse the more I tried to focus or rub it out. Zigzag zagged colored lights it scared me bad. I panicked & it didn't help of coarse. It lasted I'd say 20mins..? I didn't know what to think but it all followed a bad headache strangely on the right side. I thought IX share with you. I have had recent cat scans & other tests so its not a tumor or anything.. I had one other similar episode in my life I was told it was panic attack related. Very terrifying. Thought I was losing my vision.

It sounds like an ocular migraine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cosmic

Hi everyone!
I'm new to the boards and am very glad to have found your community :)

This morning i experienced strange and altered vision before and whilst having a panic attack including eye floaters and flashing coloured lights.

My problem started when i noticed a small floater, a blurry line in my vision... about half an hour after waking, it was in the corner of my eye but was in the way of my vision when i focused on things close and at a distance. The worry started when i rubbed my eye to try and clear it wouldn't go away... infact the more i rubbed and the more i started to worry the more the problem seemed to develop... When i closed my eyes i could see a small "burned" image of light in my vision where the blurred shape was (like after looking at a bright light) and soon as my panic got worse i noticed a larger line of red and yellow zigzag shape develop flashing in my vision and i continued to rub my eyes, but my sight went blurrier with the flashing colours more developing. My panic attack built up and i was heavy breathing and tight throat and terrified i was losing my vision or was going to pass out (I've never passed out before) so i just got changed and made a rapid decision to rush off on my bike to get to the hospital down the road. By this point my vision had an overlay of flashing yellow and red lights and I was terrified it was going get worse somehow... but as soon as i got outside the hospital my vision returned to normal. I decided to go back home without going into hospital, and now my vision seems better although slightly blurred as i am on the computer and now have a fairly bad headache.

I wanted to share this incase anyone can relate to or have experienced similar visual symptoms?

I have been spending alot of time on the computer lately whilst being fairly stressed out about coursework deadlines etc, so I'm just wondering how i can help myself, what to do next time if i get these visual symptoms again? and how to deal with the panic attack?

Your views and comments are very welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks

Jess

---

Everytime I get elevated anxiety my vision does this :/ and it feels like my eyes are floating around in their sockets. Horrible stuff :( I wish I had more advice but definitely don't close your eyes ...at least for me it makes my panic worse and then for damn sure ill have a pa