[Euphy]

So, a few years ago I used to have major migraines. They went away for a while, but they're back with a vengeance. I have this constant tension headache that varies in severity. There is pain in my forehead, jaw, and pressure around my eyes and nose. A few months ago, I started seeing floaters, but now I am seeing sparks. It looks like stars twinkling. I've only had it happen a few times now, and they last maybe 30 seconds. Its always followed by a headache that sends me to bed.

This is really interfering with my weight loss! How am I supposed to exercise when I can't stand light? Then I take something for it, like excedrin, and I start feeling nauseated so I have to eat something that is easier for my stomach to handle, which is usually carbs.

I'm working from home now which requires me to be on my computer most of the time. Can your retina detach from eye strain? I don't know if I'm just being paranoid, but I'm worried something serious is happening. Has anyone else had something similar happen?

[Vex]

You've got to go to the eye doctor - even if you don't have insurance. You don't want to be messing around with things like that.

If you google floaters and flashers, you may find some more information - but definitely go to the eye doctor.

[ChickieChicks]

Ditto. Wal-mart offers eye exams for sixty dollars...no insurance. You can call around to see if there is anything cheaper.

I have had constant headaches and migraines since the beginning of June, and have been to Neurology, Dental, Optometry and physical therapy. I've had an MRI and a cat scan. Unfortunately with headaches, the cause is often very hard to discern, and tiny often requires a total body approach to see what the migraines are stemming from.

If it is eye related, as it sounds, you may need glasses to relieve the eye strain. Maybe not. Also, visual disturbances are a very common occurrence with migraines, especially if they are only on one side of your face/head/eye. Please be safe and see your doctor ASaP!

[WildThings]

My neighbor a few years had a detached retina without ever having any type of trauma to cause it. He was told that you can develop one without actually doing anything to cause it. Detached retinas are a very serious problem. Any type of eye floaters and weird vision should be checked by an eye doctor. There are many different things that can cause vision problems which can definitely cause migraines. You don't want to risk any type of permanent damage from letting it go any longer.

[Violet73]

I agree with getting your eyes checked and also seeing a neurologist to make sure these are migraines. If they are migraines, then I will tell you something that helped me tremendously. I eliminated gluten from my diet. I also limited dairy. I was having daily headaches with major migraines a few times a month for years. I've been on preventative medications along with migraine meds to help with the migraine when they started. None of that worked like changing my diet. It's worth a try! It's changed my life

[Euphy]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to call around tomorrow and see if I can get an appointment to get my eyes checked. I think I'm having the migraines because of stress and I'm on the computer most of the day. My desk is at kind of a weird height, so a lot of the time I'm leaning forward or looking down at my monitor. I've tried reading glasses, but my vision is clearer without them. I don't know what to do because I have to be on the computer for my job! Luckily, I'm having a little mini vacation in two weeks, so we'll see if the migraines are gone then. I'm not getting anywhere near a computer! haha

That scares me about the detached retina, though. I've heard from a few people now that they had a detached retina without any sort of trauma. One girl told me her vision just started getting slowly worse over time, now she's blind in one eye. Another woman told me both of her retinas detached from eye strain.