“Calling all Sherlock Holmes Level Ophthalmologists: Unique Eye Problem?”
I have a very strange eye condition. When I drink alcohol, or smoke weed, and wake up in the morning, I see a black, 'thing' in the center of my vision. It's partly shadow, but not. It is a dark spot, but it doesn't affect the sharpness or clarity of my vision. It's like many small dark dots/lines, in my central vision, in both eyes, in an odd shape, that fade, they are not pure/pitch black, and within a second, to a few seconds, very quickly, after exposure to light, it goes away entirely. I think I've had times when if I'm stoned, it will be there longer when I get up to use the bathroom after sleep and look at the white wall. This phenomenon seems to happen after waking up, for up to two days, or so after I stop smoking/drinking. It will do it in the mornings or on waking, for a few seconds as described. Then after two days or so, it doesn't happen again.
I'm afraid it's an early sign of something horrendous. I read once online someone says it was a delayed reaction from the cones waking up and not to worry about it. But every single other thing that comes up when I search just points to macular degeneration even though that doesn't describe my symptoms.
Just like if you have a pimple on your finger the internet says it's terminal stage 4 cancer go get checked. I'd like to hear a real, detailed, knowledgeable, scientific answer. If it really could somehow be a sign of macular degeneration, tell me, but tell me why only under these circumstances it happens, or I will have no reason to believe you. I am strongly against scare-mongering and no offense to your profession, but I absolutely hate visiting doctors. I have tons of chronic conditions, so quite honestly even if I'm going blind I might not even bother, so please, you have no reason to be alarmist with me, give me your best, cold, calculated, preferably extremely experienced, answer.
If you've never heard of this exact thing before, or a very solid scientifically based theory, please don't answer.
I'm afraid it's an early sign of something horrendous. I read once online someone says it was a delayed reaction from the cones waking up and not to worry about it. But every single other thing that comes up when I search just points to macular degeneration even though that doesn't describe my symptoms.
Just like if you have a pimple on your finger the internet says it's terminal stage 4 cancer go get checked. I'd like to hear a real, detailed, knowledgeable, scientific answer. If it really could somehow be a sign of macular degeneration, tell me, but tell me why only under these circumstances it happens, or I will have no reason to believe you. I am strongly against scare-mongering and no offense to your profession, but I absolutely hate visiting doctors. I have tons of chronic conditions, so quite honestly even if I'm going blind I might not even bother, so please, you have no reason to be alarmist with me, give me your best, cold, calculated, preferably extremely experienced, answer.
If you've never heard of this exact thing before, or a very solid scientifically based theory, please don't answer.
Male | 36 years old
Complaint duration: 1 year
2 Answers
Never google eye conditions or medical conditions. We are physicians/doctors for a reason. Having said that, you can be seeing floaters or may be experiencing a visual hallucination due to weed. Please get your eyes dilated and checked.
You would need to see an eye doctor and get an actual exam to determine the cause, but they likely won't find something unless you do have a disease. It could be floaters but those are usually not in both eyes and tend to linger longer than seconds. The main thing to worry about is something macular, certain drugs like poppers in the UK can cause damage to the macula.
Frank Cao
Frank Cao
