Photopsias
Written and reviewed by Dr Ibrahim Imam, Consultant Neurologist. Last reviewed .
Photopsias. These are sudden and brief flash-like visual disturbances. They may occur singly or repetitively. Fully referenced neurology checklist.
Clinical features
- These are sudden and brief flash-like visual disturbances
- They may occur singly or repetitively
- They are unilateral in ocular disorders
- Bilateral cases occur with chiasmal, retro-chiasmal, and systemic disorders
- Unilateral cases may become bilateral with migraine and some retinal disorders
Ophthalmic causes
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Neurological causes
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Systemic causes
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Drug-induced
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Investigations
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References
- Virdee J, Mollan SP. Photopsia. Pract Neurol 2020 (Online ahead of print).
- Marsiglia M, Odel JG, Rudich DS, Tsang SH, Plant GT. Photopsia and a temporal visual field defect. Surv Ophthalmol 2016; 61:363-367.
- Goodfellow JF, Mokete B, Williamson TH. Discriminate characteristics of photopsia in posterior vitreous detachment, retinal tears and retinal detachment. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2010; 30:20-23.
- Brown GC, Brown MM, Fischer DH. Photopsias: a key to diagnosis. Ophthalmology 2015; 122:2084-2094.
- Roos NM, Wiegman MJ, Jansonius NM, Zeeman GG. Visual disturbances in (pre)eclampsia. Obstet Gynecol Surv 2012; 67:242-250.
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