What could cause an adult to see bright, revolving orbs of light at the sides of both eyes, intermittently, every day, sometimes even with eyes closed?
SEP 08, 2023
Question:
What could cause an adult to see bright, revolving orbs of light at the sides of both eyes, intermittently, every day, sometimes even with eyes closed? The eye exam showed no cause. I do have more frequent headaches lately, but no history of migraines. My ophthalmologist wants me to see a neurologist.
Answer:
There are many possible causes for these types of symptoms. In view of the fact that the symptoms appear in both eyes and the fact that your eye exam is normal, I agree that this is more likely to be neurological. Symptoms like these are very non-specific and may be very benign or very serious. The causes can include some types of migraines, anxiety, medication toxicity, blood chemistry abnormalities, or conditions such as stroke or tumor. Based on your description I would not jump to the latter more severe conditions—but a neurological or neuorophthalmological consult seems prudent. Depending upon the results of that exam, imaging such as an MRI and blood testing may also be needed.
This question was originally answered on Mar. 22, 2013.