Any eye doctors in the house - 350 lumen LED accident

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sh00ter

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I accidentally directly flashed myself with a super bright flashlight 6-8 inches from my right eye for about a second. Right afterwards, I saw large pink spot for awhile, and a white round spot when I close my eye. Seems to be dissipating slowly but I also can see a "transparent dark spot" if the eye is open and focused just right.

When I was a kid, I flashed myself in the eye up close with a 35mm camera and saw a pink square for days that turned to green and then finally to a small black square that "on occasion" I can still see to this day as a tiny floater if I focus just right. Praying this time will heal, and not be a worse version of that past incident. I am temporarily am trying to rest my eye of bright lights for the rest of the night.

Thanks in advance for any advice, info or shared experiences even if you are not a doctor who replies.
 
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sh00ter

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Looks like it was an accelerated version of what happened as a kid...I have not been in bright light today yet, but the pink and then the eventual "blind spot" when eyes open is gone, but if focus as necessary to see the old "floater" that was caused by the camera years ago, it appears larger, so I think this got me int he same manner but damage seems to be minimal. I read about temporary blindness from bright light in general, but this is a direct hit only in one eye and not the entire eye. But since it was so close, I think it made a difference. I've been shined in the eyes with bright light before, but never that close except these two times.
 

Snattlerake

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Looks like it was an accelerated version of what happened as a kid...I have not been in bright light today yet, but the pink and then the eventual "blind spot" when eyes open is gone, but if focus as necessary to see the old "floater" that was caused by the camera years ago, it appears larger, so I think this got me int he same manner but damage seems to be minimal. I read about temporary blindness from bright light in general, but this is a direct hit only in one eye and not the entire eye. But since it was so close, I think it made a difference. I've been shined in the eyes with bright light before, but never that close except these two times.
Pilots have lost their jobs because of these lasers. Please seek medical attention. Steroids might keep the damage down to a lessor degree if you get on them fast enough. Not a medical professional just my opinion. Don't mess around with your eyesight!
 

sh00ter

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Well I did call the eye doc but they couldn't get me in anytime soon and said if it had improved, then I was probably as fine as I'm going to be, but if it stayed the same or got worse to go to minor ER. Neighbor who is a PA said there is a drug they can give for severe exposure but that the fact I was doing better and it had been this long that it would not be of benefit.

I already had a "blind spot" from the camera incident but it was something that I hardly ever noticed...it "seems" that this got me in the same spot and maybe made it slightly worse, but I really have to concentrate now to even see it so I think I can live with it. But from now on I will treat flashlights as loaded weapons because I was irate that I did this to myself. Thx for the prayers/thoughts/advice.
 

John6185

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I you have created a "scar" on your retina, there isn't much hope for total and complete recovery but to be safe you do need to see an Opthalmologist-not an Optometrist.
Remember when we were kids and popped firecrackers a little too close to us and we had ringing that went away overnight? Well, I was foolish enough to use a cold chisel close to my head in 1985..ping, ping, ping which caused a ringing and to this day I have not recovered from tinnitus.
 

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