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flashing lights

Etiology: 1) with normal eye movements the jelly in the vitreous humor tugs on the peripheral retina 2) after intra-ocular surgery in the elderly 3) new or suddenly worsening symptoms a) vitreous detachment b) retinal detachment 4) migraine aura Pathology: - vitreoretinal attachments pull away from the retina stimulating retinal depolarization Management: 1) check visual acuity & visual fields 2) funduscopy to rule out retinal detachment

General

sign/symptom

References

  1. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, 16, 18. American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998, 2012, 2018.
  2. Hollands H, Johnson D, Brox AC, Almeida D, Simel DL, Sharma S. Acute-onset floaters and flashes: is this patient at risk for retinal detachment? JAMA. 2009 Nov 25;302(20):2243-9 PMID: 19934426