Thanks SOOO much all you guys!
You were right... Posterior Vitreous Detachment!

I just got home from the eye doc.
She said she doesn't see any tearing .. but she does see the floater.. and seemed to think all is well.. but next week her retina specialist will see me on his weekly rounds to her office.
She said he'll do a careful examination of the retina for any tears. And that if there are any tears he can seal them with laser right there in her office. That will prevent any eye fluid from leaking into the tear and getting under the retina to detach it.
So.. nothing to really worry about... except that I AM getting older I guess...lol

While my flashing light(s) experience was decades ago, I feel compelled to make mention of the fact that moderate use of Ibuprofen was once a source of an acuity problem that I experienced. Things cleared up in about a week after my Ibuprofen use was stopped.

That's interesting to note.
I almost never need to take any pain medication.

I have never had a headache in my life... ever... (other than a "brain-freeze" from ice cream... lol)

Once in a while a sore muscle or something..
I might go for 2 aspirin first... however I have seen that Tylenol (acetaminophen) works well too.
However, for me, ibuprofen seems even better. But I have so little experience with it that I can't really say.

He thinks it's the retina detaching and he is going to make you wait until the 8th to be examined?!! That does not sound right. My doctor got me in within a few hours of calling and I just had the flashes, no floaters.

The quickest they could get me in was the 8th. I've had this problem on and off for around 20 years before mentioning it. I guess they don't think it's going to fall off in a few days.

I had one of those "migraines" though my opthamologist called it an "Occular Migraine" many years ago. It was simply a flickering dark spot in my vision which moved across my field of view. yes, it freaked me out and I went immediately to see the doctor!

More recently, I had another, though this was associated with other symptoms. All of a sudden, I could not understand what anyone was saying. Others were saying my speech was slurred and hard to understand and I seemed spacey. When my left arm started to tingle and feel numb, that was enough to head for the hospital.

They did catscans and tests on me and found nothing wrong. But by then the symptoms had disappeared.

My doctor thinks it was just another "Occular Migraine".

That was probably 5 years ago.

-Steve

Geeze.. that's scary. Sounds more like TIA (transient ischemic attack) .. or mini stroke to me.

Posterior Vitreous Detachment. Had the same thing, nothing to really worry about.

Well, it happened again, in my right eye this time. The floaters are much worse than when they showed up in the other eye! My optometrist gave me a thorough check of the retina and said everything was OK, but she's bringing me back in in a couple of weeks to do a follow-up check, and weigh the options...

You are not kidding. I have had 4 episodes of "cluster migraines", lasting from 3 to 11 months. That is the kind of pain that you talk to god about, even if you are not religious. Also called the suicide headache.

I have had the 'Opthalmic Migranes" (occular) a few times. No headache though.
No rhyme or reason, they just start to appear usually in one eye. Scared me like it did you guys. The fear doesn't do anything for my then anxiety/panic attacks.

Last one was about 7 yrs ago at work, first thing in the morning. Spiderweb like zig-zag lines even with eyes closed. After about 20-25 min it went away. Eye checkup didn't show anything, but he explained it.

Now, I've never had any detached retina symptoms and hope they never happen. Mom had them a few times when leaning over, a bright shower of light. However the Dr. said it was not detached.

Peter I hope that you get the eye problems sorted out, and that it's nothing serious.
Take care.

YES...ditto maximus, Peter.

I read about a case of detached retina that was caused by...
constipation.
The guy had 'strained' while on the 'can' to such a degree
that his retina literally popped off !

Peter, if you have a detached retina, laser surgery can "fuse" it back. Be thankful, 15 years ago they went in and used literally a small nail to pin it back. Working in the back of the eye is tough and there are very few retinal specialists. My wife had a hole in her retina on one eye. She had a hole in her vision from that eye. Had to go 100 miles South for her surgery. I retired from a company that was in the field of eye surgery, so we had a good reference for the best in the area. All went well but recovery was not nice. We had to spend 1 week down there with her holding her head down at all times. The bubble of gas put in the back of her eye after removing the vitreous had to be absorbed. Going back home about 4000 feet higher, had to wait until at least partial absorbed and filled with new vitreous. Then back home, stopping every 500 feet for 30 minutes. This to allow the left over gas bubble to be absorbed as it expanded due to increased elevation. A tough time for both of us but her vision is now great.
For a detachment, you won't have to go through this misery.
Wishing you the best but get it taken care of.
Jerry

Peter-- Great news for you. No major impact to your life or hobbies. I myself have to make an appointment for a second opinion on having both lenses worked over.

Glad to hear you have a competent team checking out your peepers!

My ex used to suffer from occular migraines. No joke to suffer from them. Mal Fuller's note about Ibuprofen was interesting, as my ex used Ibuprofen just like him, moderately. The ONLY thing that used to take the edge off the migraine for her was imported dark chocolate, which can be highly caffeinated. I am guessing that the caffeine constricted the blood vessels enough to reduce the headache. She also had a badly prolapsed mitral heart valve, so she never had good blood pressure.

Good luck! Glad to hear things are under control.
John S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImohsoewRD4

Jerry:
Holy cow what an experience!!
I'm so glad her vision is now great.
I can't imagine what it was like for you guys trying to get home 100 miles and having to stop every 500 feet for 30 minuets!
Wow.. that comes out to 22 days of stopping time... alone.
How did you ever do that?.. You had to stop to sleep too... so that extends the total time by at least anther 10 days!
So it must have taken you about a month to get home??

What a crazy situation.. omg.

Well at least you made it.

I have to chime in here too since I experienced the same symptoms for the last few months. It's like a flash of lightening in the upper right when I quickly look to the side. Sometimes I almost duck to avoid something coming at me, like a bird or something; then I realize it's just the flash.

Went the the eye doctor and had it diagnosed. The gel in the eye is pulling away from the retina, just as others have explained to you. I was told it probably will go away eventually, but to watch for a hailstorm of floaters or a dark curtain blocking my vision. If that happens, I'm to call the doc immediately, even if it's a weekend.

Nice to know it's not the catastrophic event that I originally imagined. Sounds like yours is the same problem.

Me too. It's like a little circle of light right where I'm looking, so I can't read or see at that spot. Peripheral vision is OK. Closing my eyes, the spot is still there, it's impossible to tell which eye. Over the course of 20minutes or so, the circular spot becomes a shimmering circle that gets bigger with a hollow centre. It slowly gets to the limits of vision and I notice I can see into the middle of the circle. Then it's gone although my vision is a little blurry for an hour or so. I find that a lie down in a darkened room is the quickest cue. I don't take any medication and there's no headache or other symptoms.

[quote="Pbpix"]First of all.. I'm too young to be this old!!

Today I was seeing floaters more noticeably... but didn't think too much about it.
Then when I drove to diner to eat at night I started seeing flashing streaks of light on left side of left eye even when closed. I can make it happen rotating head left-right fast even w/eyes closed.

Now that what you have experienced seems to be shared by many members and is not life threatening, I can't resist asking our respected " grammar nazi" if you spelling prowess has been restored ,and did you enjoy your "diner"? Seriously, I got my floaters walking into a glass door 15 years ago and now rarely see them ,which is a relief since my right eye is legally blind. I do enjoy reading your posts Peter.

Thanks ... but the date of the OP was way back 8 months ago.
Although I've been seeing more floaters now than ever.. lol

Thanks for the grammar/spelling help:
My spelling was ok... but I accidentally dropped the word "the" from that sentence.
"Then when I drove to the diner to eat at night..."