Progression!

[Susan Otcenas]

well, I really was freaking out. But then it went away. It wasn't like I had NO peripheral vision, it was like my peripheral vision was filled with sun spots. But not the kind like you get with a migraine. Just a general blotchiness that made it really difficult to see out of my right eye. I think it started at the right eye but moved towards the periphery. About ten minutes before it went away I had the odd sensation that I was looking at a fan (flickering lights) out of the side and bottom of my right eye. I kept walking around and telling my friends that they only had one arm, because I couldn't see the left one. But then it went away, and the whole time I had no other weird things going on so I think maybe it was just a lack of food or nerves or maybe I looked at the sun too long or something.

K.

I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV, but...

It sounds like a scintillating scotoma. There's a good description here: http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/15/02.html (scan down about halfway down the page.) It's a type of migraine. Many people get it along with the headache. I get only the visual symptoms, no headache - thank goodness!

I've been getting these since I was a teenager, which my eyedoctor recently confirmed is about the time when they kick in for most people. It's weird, but it usually doesn't last longer than 10 or 20 minutes.

Nonetheless, it would be a good idea to ask your Dr. about it if you have concerns.

Hope that helps.

Susan

[Jolt]

I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV, but...

It sounds like a scintillating scotoma. There's a good description here: http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/11/15/02.html (scan down about halfway down the page.) It's a type of migraine. Many people get it along with the headache. I get only the visual symptoms, no headache - thank goodness!

I've been getting these since I was a teenager, which my eyedoctor recently confirmed is about the time when they kick in for most people. It's weird, but it usually doesn't last longer than 10 or 20 minutes.

Nonetheless, it would be a good idea to ask your Dr. about it if you have concerns.

Hope that helps.

Susan

That sounds like a logical possibility. You had no other symptoms, correct? Not to scare you, but symptoms like this can be from more serious things as well, like a TIA (transient ischemic attack--temporary lack of blood flow to part of the brain, but not enough to cause a full-blown stroke--a TIA goes away and has no permanent effects but is an indication of high risk for a stroke). Or possibly even some type of seizure (simple partial type). I would call your PCP and let them know this happened, and get their advice as to whether you need to get it checked out further.

[Kimmyt]

Thanks for the concerns ladies. I will be sure to pay attention to if it happens again, and if I have any other odd symptoms. As it is, I am in perfect health so far this season, not even the usual seasonal allergies for me!

(And Beth, I'd love to do more Chester County rides, it's gorgeous out there in Horse Country... by the way checked the data on the ride off of my friend's Garmin... just shy of 1 mile of vertical climbing! )