Retinitis Pigmentosa Support Group

Yes, since a few months before my diagnose last september I am seeing these concentric worms of white light also, especially when I get up or do excercise. I was wondering if these are dying cells. Then in another support group they told me, no, that is just my blood flow. The doctors do not know. They do not seem to know much. What does Sector RP mean?


KIKI

I too, get these flashing lights quite often. I have had them for many years now, but never realized that's what was happening. These flashing lights are called photopsia.

I was told that those weren't directly related to retinal deterioration, but was just the vitreous pulling at the edges of the retina. I have had them since I was a child. I didn't start to have serious peripheral vision changes until I was in my 20's. If you have different information, I'd love to hear more about it.

Hey, I've had those for as long as I can remember, but they have definitely become more and more frequent over the years. I wonder if they are related to Charles Bonnet syndrome, which is visual hallucinations caused by sudden sight loss. These hallucinations are common in macular degeneration, but when vision loss is slower, like in RP, maybe the hallucinations are more abstract- like the white ripples we see. It would be nice to think that they are benign and not further indication of retinal degeneration.

I've had the flashes on and off for years. I spoke to my doctor about them recently and she told me it wasn't necessarily cells dying. She said that it was more likely cells changing electrical pathways to your brain.

Mine seem to be worse in poor lighting and at night when I'm trying to go to sleep.