Photopsia: Causes & Reasons

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Possible Causes for Photopsia

Retinal Detachment

Early symptoms of rhegmatogenous detachment may include dark or irregular vitreous floaters (particularly a sudden increase), flashes of light (photopsias), and blurred vision [msdmanuals.com]

RESULTS: On initial evaluation, the patient had decreased vision with photopsias and distortion in the affected eye. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Arrange for urgent indirect ophthalmoscopy by an ophthalmologist to diagnose retinal detachment if patients have a sudden increase or change in floaters; photopsias; a curtain [msdmanuals.com]

Retinitis Pigmentosa

Some patients experience continuous photopsia. Systemic Features: The ‘simple’ or nonsyndromal type of RP described here has no systemic features. [disorders.eyes.arizona.edu]

Photopsias may decrease over the years, as scotomas become denser. [institut-vision.org]

Photopsia: RP patients report seeing flashes of light (photopsia) described as small, shimmering, blinking lights or coarse sparkling grains similar to the symptoms of an [institut-vision.org]

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

ICP → damage to structures of the CNS and especially to the optical nerve fibers References: [2] Clinical features Diffuse headaches Visual symptoms Transient vision loss Photopsia [amboss.com]

The presentation is usually with headaches, visual problems (transient or gradual visual loss), pulse-synchronous tinnitus, photopsia and eye pain 15. [radiopaedia.org]

Visual Snow Syndrome

Flashing lights (photopsia). Small "floaters" in the vision field (myodesopsia). Visual effects within the eye (entoptic phenomena). [nvisioncenters.com]

Migraine more often have palinopsia, spontaneous photopsia, photophobia, nyctalopia and tinnitus than those without comorbid migraine. [ichd-3.org]

Around three-quarters of people struggling with visual snow report suffering from three or more of these symptoms: spontaneous photopsia, blue field entoptic phenomenon, myodesopsia [nvisioncenters.com]

Migraine

Photopsia, fortification spectra, and the slow propagation of a scintillating scotoma across the visual field are typical diagnostic features of the visual aura of migraine [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

She reported continuous bright and colorful lights, palinopsia, floaters, nyctalopsia, and photopsia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

[…] symptoms can include a sudden appearance of a bright light in the center of the field of vision causing blind spots (scintillating scotoma), double vision, flashing lights (photopsia [rarediseases.org]

Ophthalmoplegic Migraine

There may be bright spots (often colored, called "photopsia"), jagged lines ("fortification spectra") or wavy lines (like heat lines). [dartmouth.edu]

(arc of scintillating lights in a herring-bone-like pattern) • Negative scotomas (blind spots) • Teichopsia/fortification spectra (luminous appearance before the eyes) • Photopsia [ahcmedia.com]

Acute Zonal Occult Outer Retinopathy

It is characterized by photopsia, minimal funduscopic changes, and electroretinographic abnormalities. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

The common complaints were slightly reduced visual acuity and photopsia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

RESULTS: Sixteen patients (64%) presented with photopsias, 56% (14/25) with night blindness, and 56% (14/25) with loss of peripheral vision. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Vitreous Floaters

Lightning-like flashes, common in retinal detachment, are called photopsias. Photopsias can also occur when rubbing the eyes or when looking around after awakening. [msdmanuals.com]

Eye pain Loss of red reflex Abnormal retinal findings Retinal detachment is suggested by sudden increases in floaters, photopsias, or any of its other, more specific characteristics [merckmanuals.com]

[…] or eye trauma Eye pain Loss of red reflex Abnormal retinal findings Interpretation of findings Retinal detachment is suggested by sudden increases in floaters, photopsias [merckmanuals.com]

Birdshot Chorioretinopathy

[…] fluid on OCT-EDI (P = .003), and the frequency and severity of photopsias correlated with the thickness of the fluid band (Pearson product moment correlation, 0.39). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

[…] documented case of HLA-A29-positive birdshot chorioretinopathy in an African American patient.Methods:A 51-year-old African American woman presented with a 10-year history of photopsia [scholars.northwestern.edu]

A 51-year-old African American woman presented with a 10-year history of photopsia, progressive decrease in visual acuity, metamorphopsia, and new nyctalopia. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Choroiditis

The patients have photopsias as well. [entokey.com]

Presentation - fourth decade (female:male = 3:1) with blurring of vision, floaters and photopsia. [patient.info]

After 2 months, reduced visual acuity, photopsia and visual field defect in the left eye occurred. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Malignant Choroidal Melanoma

When signs do arise, they consist of visual disturbances such as floaters, decreased visual acuity, photopsia, scotoma, and visual field defects. [symptoma.com]

[…] mets from breast cancer were yellow in color 77% plateau-shaped 65% a/w subretinal fluid Exudation and hemorrhage rare Symptoms: - 75% Blurred vision - 6% Floaters - 5% Photopsias [slideshare.net]

This had been happening for about three weeks; he denied photopsia. [reviewofoptometry.com]

Peripheral Vasoproliferative Retinopathy

Patients may present with visual loss, floaters, and/or photopsia. [orpha.net]

[…] tumour exists, which is relatively aggressive and which tends to occur in young females (mean age 19 years).3 Patients tend to present with visual loss, floaters, and/or photopsia [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Floaters, photopsias and metamorphopsia are other common complaints. RVPT usually presents as a solitary mass in the retinal periphery. [scielo.br]

Lattice Degeneration of the Retina

Watch the “How vision works” animation Lattice does not typically cause symptoms, but if symptoms occur, they include photopsia, or flashing lights in the patient’s peripheral [maculacenter.com]

Signs & Symptoms The patient is usually over age 20 and is nearly always asymptomatic, except for possible complaints of flashing lights (photopsia). [eyecaretrust.org.uk]

An acute PVD complicated by retinal tear formation usually is signaled by the complaint of new-onset floaters and/or flashing lights (referred to as photopsia) As in all retinal [emedicine.medscape.com]

Disorder of the Vitreous Body

In a few people, however, this separation is noticeable immediately due to one or more of the following symptoms: Flashes of light called photopsia Showers of floaters Darkness [my.clevelandclinic.org]

The photopsias tend to be more noticeable in dimly lit environments. [webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu]

Download Fact Sheet Spanish Translation Symptoms in detail The most common symptoms experienced by patients with VMT syndrome are: Decreased sharpness of vision Photopsia, [asrs.org]

Retrobulbar Neuritis

Additionally, dyschromatopsia, photopsia and visual field defects may also occur 1. [radiopaedia.org]

[…] sensitivity Color vision Especially red Colors appear washed out Afferent pupillary defect Pupillary light reflex - direct response to light more sluggish in affected eye Photopsias [fprmed.com]

Cytomegalovirus Retinitis

Find Photopsia information, treatments for Photopsia and Photopsia symptoms. [centrefellowship.com]

In symptomatic infection, patients may experience various visual disturbances, including floaters, photopsia, narrowed visual fields, blurred vision, and scotoma. [symptoma.com]

In the initial phase of the disease most patients are usually asymptomatic while those with symptoms will complain of floaters, blurred vision, photopsia, scotomas, metamorphopsia [medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com]

Vasoproliferative Tumor of the Retina

Floaters, photopsias and metamorphopsia are other common complaints. RVPT usually presents as a solitary mass in the retinal periphery. [aboonline.org.br]

Seventeen patients had presented to their ophthalmologists with symptoms of visual loss and/or “floaters” or photopsia. [bjo.bmj.com]

Multifocal Choroiditis

[…] glaucoma, optic nerve atrophy, macular atrophy, vitritis, and progressive subretinal scars.[6] Signs & Symptoms Eye discomfort Scotoma Blurry Vision Vision Loss Photophobia Photopsias [eyewiki.aao.org]

Idiopathic Optic Perineuritis

Additionally, dyschromatopsia, photopsia and visual field defects may also occur 1. [radiopaedia.org]

Punctate Inner Choroidopathy

Symptoms Blurred vision, photopsia, central and/or peripheral scotomatas and metamorphopsias. [eyewiki.aao.org]

Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy

– Other symptoms include: · Scotoma/'shadows'/'spot' · Mild decreased visual acuity ~ 20/30 · Floaters · Metamorphopsia · Photopsia Clinical diagnosis Clinical diagnosis [eyewiki.aao.org]

Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Early symptoms of rhegmatogenous detachment may include dark or irregular vitreous floaters (particularly a sudden increase, flashes of light (photopsias), and blurred vision [msdmanuals.com]

Small detachments typically present with photopsia, floaters, and/or visual field defects. [amboss.com]

Arrange for urgent indirect ophthalmoscopy by an ophthalmologist to diagnose retinal detachment if patients have a sudden increase or change in floaters; photopsias; a curtain [msdmanuals.com]

Senile Retinoschisis

More frequent follow-up care is required in patients with symptoms of photopsia and floaters. Buch H, Vinding T, Nielsen NV. [emedicine.medscape.com]

He denied photopsias and had no family history of retinal detachments. [eyerounds.org]

Cancer-Associated Retinopathy

Patients with anti-recoverin retinopathy present with symptoms of night blindness, photopsias, loss of peripheral or pericentral visual field, reduced central acuity, and [orpha.net]

A 62-year-old female patient presented to our clinic complaining of a 2 month history of shimmering photopsias and floaters. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Patients with anti-enolase retinopathy experience varying degrees of central or pericentral visual field loss, shimmering photopsias, loss of color vision, reduced vision [orpha.net]

Posterior Vitreous Detachment

Photopsias are caused by physical stimulation of the retina from vitreoretinal traction. [eyewiki.aao.org]

Photopsia (an ocular flash) occurs if the separation exerts traction on the retina. [patient.info]

Common symptoms of retinal tears include: Sudden onset of black spots or ‘floaters’ in your field of vision Photopsia (flashes of light) in one or both eyes Blurred vision [austinretina.com]

Disorders of Visual Cortex

At least one of the following: excessive floaters in both eyes, excessive blue field entoptic phenomenon, self-light of the eye, or spontaneous photopsia (Entoptic phenomena [rarediseases.org]

[…] combination) in visual snow, are the blue field entoptic phenomenon, floaters (the perception of which is defined as myodesopsia), self-light of the eye and spontaneous photopsia [rarediseases.org]

[…] looking at homogeneous bright surfaces, such as the blue sky; self-light of the eye is described as colored waves or clouds when closing the eyes in the dark; spontaneous photopsia [rarediseases.org]

Vitreous Degeneration

[…] floater that is sometimes seen if the vitreous body releases from the back of the eye When this occurs there is a characteristic pattern of symptoms: Flashes of light ( photopsia [en.wikipedia.org]

Retinal Atrophy

Photopsia that is induced by eye movements may indicate optic neuritis. [aafp.org]

If associated with a retinal detachment patients may experience visual symptoms such as photopsias, floaters, or loss of visual field. [eyewiki.aao.org]

This article will review how to approach the patient who has acute symptoms of vitreous floaters and photopsia. [optometricmanagement.com]

Roy-Maroteaux-Kremp Syndrome

[…] atrophy dementia, Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, Papilledema, Papilloedema, Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, Peripheral type neurofibromatosis, Photopsia [wikidoc.org]

[…] pathway glioma, Opticoacoustic nerve atrophy dementia, Orbit tumour, Orbital lymphangioma, Orbital mass, Osteochondrodysplatic dwarfism, Papillitis, Periorbital cellulitis, Photopsia [wikidoc.org]

[…] monosomy 13q Pellagra-like syndrome Pepper spray Periorbital cellulitis Peripheral type neurofibromatosis Phacolytic glaucoma Phenylbutazone Phenytoin toxicity Phosgene oxime Photopsia [wikidoc.org]

Pigmented Paravenous Retinochoroidal Atrophy

Presentation - fourth decade (female:male = 3:1) with blurring of vision, floaters and photopsia. [patient.info]

Photopsias may decrease over the years, as scotomas become denser. [institut-vision.org]

However, unlike this case, loss of visual acuity and photopsia within the scotomata are common ocular symptoms associated with AZOOR patients, and night blindness and progressive [benthamopen.com]