Scintillating scottoma is a condition in which patients see alternating, flickering and highly intense flashes of light that appear on one side of their head. It usually starts between the ages of thirty and fifty and can continue to recur periodically for up to six months, or even longer. The positive aspect of this scottoma, comprised of bright colored and black-colored zigzagging lines, is often accompanied by a dark negative side as it spreads across a certain portion of the patients visual field.
This condition is often characterized by a sudden increase in sensitivity to light and sound
This condition is not limited to certain persons only; it can also occur to anyone, even though this disorder is not limited to old-aged people. Although it is most common among women, it can also be triggered by men, and in rare cases even among children.
Although it is not life-threatening and does not impair the patient's vision, it is very distressing for them. They are often afraid of bright lights, thus they have a hard time going out in public places or at nighttime. In some cases, the condition may even lead to depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. This is why, in order to prevent such cases from happening, it is extremely important to identify this condition as early as possible.
Some of the things doctors often try to determine in these conditions include eye infections, poor circulation, and diseases of the cornea (the substance that covers the front of the eye). However, there are other reasons that are also sometimes found when the doctor suspects that the patient has flickering scotomas.
One of these reasons is when a person is exposed to too much sunlight during the day and they still suffer from these conditions. The reason for this is that too much sun can affect the eyes, causing them to produce too much melanin.
Certain medications and environmental factors can also cause similar scintillations, such as when someone is being treated with corticosteroids to combat allergies and rashes. When such symptoms persist after a person stops using a certain drug or stops taking certain drugs, it is very likely that the person will begin to experience flicker recurrence.
If the above reasons are not the ones you have experienced in the last two weeks, you are advised to contact your ophthalmologist and ask him to give you a complete medical history, especially when dealing with such cases. … This will allow your optometrist to determine how serious the condition really is and help him / her find ways to deal with the problem.
To avoid repeating these conditions, it is extremely important for you to protect your visual fields by avoiding direct sunlight. It's also important to make sure you use sunscreen and others products that reduce outdoor eye damage, especially if you spend a lot of time outdoors. In any case, always seek immediate medical attention, especially if you do not know how to diagnose the problem yourself.
In the event that your eye doctor does not know what exactly is causing the scintillations of scotomas, it is highly recommended that you undergo a physical exam so that your doctor can determine if you have a problem. The doctor may also need to check for the possibility of retinal detachment.
As you may already know, if your eyes are not properly protected, damage can be done to your visual fields. Therefore, it is highly advisable that you protect your eyes from the rays of the sun, which is one of the major causes of scintillations of scotomas.
With such a condition as this, you need to ensure that you are using good eye care in order to prevent the condition from coming back. After all, you do not want to go through life having to deal with such condition.