During pregnancy, quite often a woman’s chronic diseases worsen or new pathologies develop. Among the ophthalmological problems during this period, floaters or floaters may occur before the eyes.
Floaters are small specks of dark or light color. Sometimes they are translucent and shaped like sticks or marks. The flies float and flash before the eyes, which causes some discomfort in the patient.
Floaters can bother not only pregnant women, but any person. They often appear when waking up quickly or when going outside from a darkened room.
In most cases, floaters appear against the background of some ophthalmological problem.
What it is
In medicine, the appearance of stars in the eyes is called photopsia. Photopsia is various objects or images that appear in the field of vision, capable of having different shapes and shapes.
Stars, flies, glare can be felt on both one and two sides, regardless of the age and gender of the person, as well as the lighting of the room. Frequent flickering of phantom objects of various shades can be a consequence of injuries to the organs of vision, and can also be a symptom of dysfunction of the visual analyzers, including the brain.
Forecast
Seeing occasional flashes or stars in front of your eyes is not usually a sign of an underlying health problem.
The condition occurs more often with age. However, it may indicate an eye problem that needs treatment. Rapid or constant flashes or any other sudden changes in vision require immediate medical attention.
By the way, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends undergoing a comprehensive eye and vision examination by age 40, even if there are no other health problems.
Some people need to be diagnosed sooner if they have diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of eye disease. People with poor vision may also receive a comprehensive eye exam during their regular eye exam.
Stars in the eyes are a phenomenon in which a person sees bright dots that do not actually exist. The reason for their occurrence may lie in damage to the visual apparatus or nerve fibers through which the signal is transmitted to the brain. Naturally, when this symptom appears, you need to consult a doctor - a neurologist or an ophthalmologist.
Symptoms and varieties
The flickering of stars can occur periodically in each person and have a different duration.
Such visual hallucinations can have the following varieties:
- lightning, rings, stripes, zigzags and other shapes of various shapes and colors;
- light bright spots, stars, sparks that can move quickly;
- sudden flashes, which many patients describe as false light sensations;
- floaters in the form of small black dots or stripes that have the ability to move along with the movement of the eyeballs.
Depending on the factors that provoked the optical effects, people may experience additional symptoms:
- headache;
- severe eye fatigue;
- dizziness;
- migraine;
- blurring of clear visibility;
- pressure in the eyeballs;
- intolerance to loud sounds;
- increased sweating;
- uncontrollable fear;
- increased heart rate and other symptoms.
Stars before the eyes or floaters in the eyes: what's the difference?
Flashes of light or stars in the eyes should not be confused with floaters. Although both conditions can occur simultaneously, they are caused by different factors.
Floater floaters can appear as shadows, lines, or dots that move across a person's field of vision. Causes:
- uveitis of various etiologies (inflammation of the choroid);
- hemophthalmos (blood entering the vitreous body or one of the spaces formed around it);
- destruction (destruction) of the vitreous body;
- posterior vitreous detachment;
- asteroid bodies in the vitreous body;
- traction (tension) of the retina;
- macular edema;
- hallucination;
- floating impurities on the cornea of the eye;
- ocular migraine.
Floaters are usually a harmless condition that becomes common with age. However, discuss the problem with your ophthalmologist, especially if eye floaters happen frequently or suddenly.
Starry eyes are sometimes a natural part of aging that cannot be prevented. However, certain lifestyle factors can help you maintain good vision for as long as possible.
To keep your eyes in order:
- Eat a diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins.
- Quit or avoid smoking. Smoking is an important risk factor for macular degeneration, which can lead to blindness.
- Always wear sunglasses with UV protection when out in the sun.
- Wear proper eye protection when using power tools or playing sports.
- Take breaks from working on the computer and watching TV every 20 minutes.
Reasons for the appearance of stars before the eyes
There are many pathologies accompanied by the appearance of flickering stars and dots before the eyes. They can be associated with ophthalmological and neurological factors, and also develop as a consequence of other diseases.
Ophthalmological
Most often, false perception of light, moving spots and other object images is a consequence of ophthalmological diseases:
- One common cause is cataracts. Moreover, the intensity of photopsia is related to the stage of development of the disease;
- minor visual hallucinations may occur due to inflammation of the retina;
- in people over 50 years of age, phantom images in the field of vision are often felt as a result of vitreous detachment;
- often the optical effect accompanies myopia;
- Among the factors that provoke the anomaly are pathologies of the cornea: inflammatory diseases (keratitis), dystrophies, changes in its shape and size;
- infections in the organs of vision;
- progressive glaucoma;
- neuritis;
- mechanical damage to the eyes, causing hemorrhage in the retina;
- penetration of foreign objects.
If flashes of light, floaters and spots in the field of vision are felt on a constant basis, they can become a manifestation of a serious eye disease. By seeking medical help in time, you can prevent the development of blindness.
Neurological
The flickering of objects is often associated with neurological factors:
- In some cases, this symptom indicates an imminent migraine. An attack of throbbing pain in the head can last from several minutes to several hours and often occurs together with nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, drowsiness, and irritability.
- Another disease that provokes visual phenomena is multiple sclerosis. In addition to stars and flashes in the eyes, the patient may have hearing problems, muscle paralysis and other symptoms.
- Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine. This pathology is accompanied by a circulatory disorder, as well as a change in pressure, as a result of which an unpleasant flicker appears before the eye from time to time.
- Vegetative-vascular dystonia, nervous tension, and frequent stress can also cause visual hallucinations.
Fragments and images that appear in the visual field can also appear in healthy people, for example, after a long stay in a dark room or upon awakening. In this case, the flying stars disappear as the eyes get used to the light.
Other reasons
Other reasons for the appearance of an anomaly include:
- bleeding in internal organs;
- acute intoxication. In case of poisoning, the optic nerves are affected, which leads to the appearance of small stars, as well as diplopia;
- hypertensive crisis. In addition to optical effects, it is accompanied by dizziness, loss of orientation, etc.;
- endocrine system disorder, diabetes mellitus;
- vascular disorders, retinopathy;
- metabolic failure;
- recent traumatic brain injury, damage to the visual system;
- infections;
- low blood pressure. In addition to flashing white dots, dizziness and weakness may be bothersome;
- excessive physical activity. Characterized by flickering black flies in the field of vision;
- preeclampsia;
- neoplasms in the brain, tumors of the visual apparatus.
Pregnancy, diabetes
Diabetic neuropathy of the second cranial nerve can lead to blindness or sparkles from the eyes. The reason is the accumulation of toxic substances that negatively affect the function of conductive fibers.
Stars in the eyes during pregnancy are the result of anemia due to deficiency of iron, B vitamins or a complication - toxicosis (preeclampsia). This condition is characterized by impaired liver and kidney function, edema syndrome, and preeclampsia.
Intracranial hypertension during pregnancy is the result of a decrease in glomerular filtration of blood in the kidneys, accumulation of the hormone aldosterone due to liver dysfunction.
Diagnostics
To determine the cause of the unpleasant flickering, you need to consult a therapist. The specialist will conduct an initial examination of the patient and collect anamnesis.
When contacting a doctor, it is necessary to describe in detail all the manifestations that occur, except for the flashing stars before the eyes. This will allow the doctor to better understand the problem and prescribe appropriate examination methods.
The reasons that provoke the appearance of asterisks can be varied and hidden in one of the diseases listed above.
Depending on the symptoms, the therapist may refer the patient to specialists:
- ophthalmologist;
- neurologist;
- endocrinologist;
- cardiologist.
The patient will need to undergo a number of diagnostic measures:
- ophthalmoscopy;
- perimetry;
- Dopplerography;
- retinal examination, angiography;
- computer and magnetic resonance imaging;
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- electroencephalogram;
- ECG;
- X-ray of the spine and other examinations at the discretion of specialists.
Prevention
It is possible to cope with the problem at the initial stage if you follow a diet and sleep schedule. It is necessary to limit the time spent near the computer, take walks in the fresh air, and increase the amount of physical activity. This improves the saturation of eye tissue with oxygen.
You can prevent a number of diseases and get rid of photopsia with the help of eye gymnastics.
Ophthalmologists advise doing a number of exercises. Sit on a chair and straighten your back, look alternately to the right, left, up, down. The gaze must be translated quickly. Next, you should close your eyes tightly for a few seconds, sharply open your eyes, relaxing your muscles, and calmly look forward for 10 seconds.
Under no circumstances should you rub your eyes or even touch them with your hands. If necessary, it is better to rinse with running water.
Stars in the eyes may appear from overwork. In this case, you should put things aside, look away from the computer and sit for a few minutes with your eyes closed. You also need to walk outside more, follow a healthy lifestyle and sleep the optimal number of hours for you.
Star vision (or photopsia) is a visual hallucination that results in spots, streaks, or bright flashes appearing before the eyes. The phenomenon usually occurs when looking at bright objects, is single in nature and passes quickly. If photopsia recurs over a long period of time, you should consult a doctor. Since this may indicate serious ophthalmological or neurological diseases.
Treatment options
It is impossible to eliminate the sensation of stars before your eyes on your own, since this phenomenon is not a separate disease, but only a consequence of another disease.
Therapy involves identifying the primary pathology and its successful treatment:
- if the patient has retinal detachment, they are referred for laser coagulation;
- if this deviation is a manifestation of VSD, it is necessary to reconsider your lifestyle and diet, streamline your daily routine, avoid conflict situations and stress;
- if the cause is osteochondrosis, special gymnastics, massage, and physiotherapeutic procedures will be beneficial. During relapses, medications are taken, including iron supplements;
- High blood pressure, migraines, and diabetes are treated by appropriate doctors.
Alcohol, drug intoxication
Ethyl alcohol is a poison for neurons. Under its influence, intense stimulation of various receptors occurs, as well as inhibition of the inhibitory effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid. Therefore, as a result of severe alcohol intoxication, visual hallucinations, delusions and other neuropsychiatric symptoms may occur.
The harmful effects of narcotic substances on nerve cells are also known. Often the cause of stars before the eyes is the use of substances such as heroin, cocaine, and cannabinoids. They act both on neurons and on the pupil, dilating it. Therefore, people who are intoxicated experience photophobia and flashes.
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