I have PVD form 1 years ago.
I have a lot of floater and now flash of light when I move my eyes quickly.
I know this is vitreous pulling the retina.
Does anybody know if flashes is forever like floaters?
or it will stop when PVD is finished?

thank you!!!

I was just about to post asking this same question. I am 44 and last week got a new floater and starting seeing flashes in my left eye. I immediately went to my Opthalmo because my mom had a detached retina about 10 years ago and needed buckles on both eyes. My eyesight was worse than hers (I had lasik last year). My Dr. did a retinal exam and said that he saw PVD, the same size as two years ago in the right eye and none in the left eye. He said that I had some 'tuggin' on the retina in the left eye which is where the flashes are coming from. He wants to see me again in 4 weeks, as he said that if something is going to tear, it usually happens in that time frame. I never could get a real good answer out of him on whether the floater (it's huge!) and the flashes would go away. I ended up calling him again a few days later, as the flashes were really getting me concerned (only happen when I look hard left) and his nurse said again that I had no PVD and that the flashes would go away. She said the floater was probably permanent, but would get either smaller or I'd noticed it alot less. I hope so, it really is very annoying, especially when I had lasik and my eyesight is perfect for the first time that I can remember.
I'd love to hear what anyone else has to say about flashes and if they went away or what happened in the near and distant future. I'm thinking of getting a second opinion. The thought of sitting here and waiting 4 weeks to see if something else happens is worrysome. Though, maybe that is what another doc would say too.
Karen

You're wise to be concerned, since you just had some surgery on that eye.

I don't suppose it would have triggered diabetes, if that runs in your family. Mine was diagnosed by going to a retina doctor back in 1987. Wouldn't hurt to have that checked while you're waiting, just in case.

I hope I don't sound ignorant, but how does diabetes affect the eye and flashes/floaters? I did have lasik November 2005 and gestational diabetes in 2004 (delivered a healthy baby in Nov 04). No diabetes in my family and gestational diabetes was brought on by pregnancy and advanced maternal age (almost 43 when I delivered). Blood sugar went back to normal after pergnancy. Dr has not suggested testing it since. Thanks for any information.
Karen

I hope I don't sound ignorant, but how does diabetes affect the eye and flashes/floaters? I did have lasik November 2005 and gestational diabetes in 2004 (delivered a healthy baby in Nov 04). No diabetes in my family and gestational diabetes was brought on by pregnancy and advanced maternal age (almost 43 when I delivered). Blood sugar went back to normal after pergnancy. Dr has not suggested testing it since. Thanks for any information.
Karen

Gestational diabetes (I had it too, third baby of five, when I hadn't been taking my thyroid as much as I should have) makes your later diabetes harder to control, according to the classes I attended. Most hospitals have classes, or your health dept. My doctors didn't suggest any further testing either, so, diabetes sneaks up on you.

Flashing light in my eyes when I would turn over in bed at night meant I'd had undiagnosed diabetes for several years and the eye doctor was the first to tell me. Sugar made the retinas swell. I'd been feeling bad and eating more of it to try to get some energy I guess.

I'm not a professional, just going by my own experience, but when you go to your primary care doctor you might want to just get your blood sugar checked, or if you have a diabetic friend who's got a meter, maybe they'd check it for you. Their test strips are probably worth about a dollar each and they'd need to put in a fresh point in the little finger ***** gun. If you hold your breath it probably will not even hurt, at least not like when they used to just stab your finger, hard.

My mother had diabetes, died from it, but didn't talk about it to us enough, and now both my brother and I have it. An aunt had eye problems and cataracts, may not have ever been tested for diabetes.

One of those hospital several-hours tests after my large 4th baby (5th one a girl, normal wt) just showed my blood sugar rise was rather SLOW, so I was put to sleep by that and I didn't get any more tests or eye exams. Now I've lost central vision (reading) in one eye, went to a retina specialist too late. Diabetic retinopathy is extra little blood vessels leaking, which they seal with a laser but you get some scarring, and my cataract surgeon used the old-fashioned mono-focus (distance) lens implants without telling me there are now multi-focus ones for some extra money, not insured yet, and I'll never know if with my diabetes damage and scars they would have worked for me. It's hard to get glasses just right. You start with otc ones after cataract surgery because diabetics usually have retinal swelling and
your vision isn't stabilized for a while. It was rather frightening, the thought of maybe not being able to drive and carry on everyday life. My better eye is now about 20/70 w/out glasses and maybe 20/50 corrected, and on my own I've ordered a video of eye exercises for that ciliary muscle, which has gotten so slow I have to ask the retina people to wait a sec when I'm trying to read the eye charts. Don't know if they could do any additional damage. He said "other things will be happening" in my eyes and I didn't think to ask what.

I guess you need to be dilated at least once a year to avoid all this. I've even read that you may be able to prevent diabetes by using the sugar substitutes we now have. Don't know if that's true. Splenda is made from sugar. Fructose you'd think would be good, but maybe all of them can elevate your blood sugar. Probably a google search would tell you if gestational diabetes means eventual diabetes is inevitable. Good luck.