Light streaks in vision after pipelkne

Does anyone else have bright light streaks in their vision after their pipeline surgery?

I had two aneurysms across from each other in my right internal carotid artery behind my right eye. My right pupil was bigger then the other one.
Oct 2019 I had pipeline embolism surgery which was successful. I was put on plavix and aspirin. Shortly after my surgery, I noticed that I was getting these bright light streaks (white) in my right eye. It looks like straight lines. It changes where it goes in my right eye.
I responded really well to plavix but since I was having all these light streaks, my neurosurgeon switched me to Brilinta.
Still had the light streaks but eventually they went away to where I was having them once in awhile. I stopped Brilinta last July. Still doing fine with only a couple light streaks. When I stopped the Regular strength aspirin in October and switched to 81mg of aspirin. I got more light streaks. Increasing my aspirin dose didn’t seem to help. Recently the light streaks are silver now too.
I recently was put back on Brilinta (for 3 months) and that seems to be helping. I only get them once in awhile now instead of every day.

My neurosurgeon doesn’t know why I am having them.
My theory is that since the surgery was so close to my eye that it disrupted the blood flow just enough to cause light streaks. The stent is now causing the blood flow to be slower in that area so by taking blood thinners, the blood can flow freely. Which will keep any complications away.

They don’t hurt but still is a bit worrisome when I was getting them often.

I’m hoping they will just go away.

2 Likes

Hi @glitteringsapphire. I can’t tell you why, but I have them too, but almost always only when my eyes are closed. For as long as I can remember, I have always had some light spots and streaks behind my eyelids, which for a long time were a precursor to a migraine (I assumed they were typical migraine auras). Other than being a warning sign of impending pain, they didn’t really bother or concern me. However, since my craniotomy last September, they are much more pronounced. (81mg of aspirin is the only new med added to my regime since then, by the way.) They are bigger and brighter and more prevalent than ever. But again, only with my eyes closed, and they no longer signal a migraine. The aneurysms that were worked on this last time are not near my eyes, for what it’s worth. So, I don’t have any answers for you, I’m afraid, but I did want you to know that I have them too. Since they don’t seem to affect my vision, I ignore mine, but they do freak me out a bit! I have another surgery scheduled for next month and I intend to ask my neuro about them. I will let you know if I learn anything. Good luck!

I’m sorry you have them as well. I’m glad they don’t signal migraines now for you! Migraines are the worst.
I hope the more frequent light flashes are not part of anything more serious.

Yes! Please let me know what your neuro say I’d be interested in hearing his thoughts.

Have you seen Ophthalmologist? I was having the bright white/silver streaks in my right eye that started about a year after my aneurysm ruptured. Turns out it had nothing to do with the annie. The vitreous body in my eye is pulling away from the retina, resulting in the crazy flashes and streaks. Perhaps it is unrelated to your aneurysm.

1 Like

I had my pipeline placed between 2 unruptured annies about a year and half ago. I had never had light streaks that I could remember before but it was the first thing I noticed the hour I woke up from the surgery. I told my surgeon who didn’t think anything of the symptom so now I just live with them. They don’t bother me and it’s not everyday one floats by. I’ve mentioned it to my eye dr and I think they said it’s stuff floating around in the eye fluid but not to be concerned. Best of luck, let us know if you learn something new about what they are?

1 Like

Well at least we all know that we’re not alone! In response to @Sparky, no, I’ve not seen an ophthalmologist since my last surgery, but thank you for the suggestion of a alternate cause. I tend to get tunnel vision (no pun intended!) about the causes of my issues. I’m having my next surgery in a couple of weeks, and after that I do intend to go to an ophthalmologist because I can tell that my eyesight has changed since my last surgery 6 months ago (I see better out of one eye and worse out of the other!) I figure I better wait until they go in a poke around again though, since who knows what I’ll see when this one is done! Thanks everyone for the replies and support. :slight_smile:

2 Likes

@mgm call your ophthalmologist and see how long you have to wait after your next procedure. I can’t remember how long mine made me wait, but I went ahead and made the appointment.

All the best,
Moltroub

1 Like

:slight_smile: I haven’t learned anything new about my light streaks. But i first mentioned them to my neurosurgeon in December after my stent. I did go to the eye doctor and she didn’t see anything concerning and wasn’t sure what it was about.
I think mine are more related to my stent because I’ve not had very many now that I’m back on Brilinta. But if i find anything out, I’ll share.
@mgm Good luck on your procedure. I hope it’s very successful!

1 Like

I also have light streaks/auras sometimes. It only happens on one side and as you wrote I also think my aneurysms were close to my eye. Mine aren’t painful and they last about 20 minutes. They look like a jagged line, starts small and then grows until it disappears. WebMD had a good article on silent migraines which I call mine. Has causes and such. I notice mine when I’ve been reading too much or when I’m stressing about something. I feel tired after but after some time I’m fine. Thanks for what your neurosurgeon said. It makes sense. I keep a spreadsheet to note them. I usually get them once a month or so. I’m coming up on 5 years for my aneurysms and 4 years on having silent migraines. I just put it as my new normal. Wishing you well. Let me know if anything is ever suggested about this.

MiMi109

1 Like

I have a pipeline and a similar treatment plan. I have similar lights that seem to be a silent ocular migraine. It was scary at first, but now I just go with the flow and try to remind myself to be thankful that it’s only a silent migraine. Hoping it’s the same for you!

3 Likes

I’m sorry you have light streaks too.
That’s interesting about the silent ocular migraine. My Dr didn’t say anything about that.

I just want them to disappear and never come back for you and for me

1 Like

@glitteringsapphire I’ve had them for many years now. I keep a spreadsheet on them. To me they seem to come on when I’m stressed about something. I get them at least once a month. I just continue with what I’m doing. I see it off to the side but I can still continue to do what I’m doing. After I am tired but after a little rest I’m feeling fine. I have had a few in a month but again I was stressed. I’ve asked my doctors and no real answer. I’m just glad to be here so count it as my new normal.

Take care.

1 Like

Wow can I just say what a helpful thread this is!! I just had my flow diversion procedure several days ago for two unruptured brain aneurysms and since getting home, I’ve been experiencing pressure behind my right eye (where the stent was placed), headaches, some dizziness, and periodically will see stars or streaks in my right eye. I haven’t been able to find anything about this anywhere else (i.e. on google, medical articles, etc.), so i’ve been feeling really concerned as to if these are normal symptoms after the procedure or not. I am going to contact my surgical team/doctor tomorrow to make sure all is ok, but it’s really helpful to hear the similar experiences of others! I’m just hoping my symptoms will start to reside soon so I can start to get back to my normal activity level and routine.
-Cassandra

1 Like

Hello,@glitteringsapphire. So when I realized I had a stroke on the way to hospital my vision was very strange my right eye did not see any color and the outline of say a tree would be there but the bark the leaves was behind the tree off in the distance. My right eye doesn’t dilate it’s smaller than the left. I was lucky it even works now. After a lot of opinions and test my problem is my brain swells and my eye flakes when I close my eye or sleep. So that is a reminder to me to slow down, relax, no stress. When you brain swells the only way it can go is down. I believe now it’s nerve damage and since my external and internal carotid both dissected I feel my eye is traumatized. I ask myself all day is it worse than before I was repaired. I take notes and compare. It’s scary I know try to remember your still healing. I schedule an appointment with eye specialist we document and next October we will compare. Some people take 5 years to fully recover. I hope this helps

I used to have these beautiful filigree lights after my rupture and they stayed with me until my 3rd coiling with the balloon assist. They were so beautiful, like fine Irish lace, that I was often distracted. My Neurosurgeon had me follow through with my ophthalmologist who had me see him at least twice a year instead of the once a year check up. The only thing that changed was I had to go on a prescription eye drop for dry eyes and use Systane which was what he had recommended as an OTC. The prescription drops are now also OTC. I don’t think it was dry eyes that caused the beautiful light show, just my brain. And though I miss the show, it’s nice to have one less distraction.

All the best,
Moltroub

I had 2 craniotomies in 2010 and starting in 2013 I developed what the neurosurgeons tell me are migraine auras with no pain. I often have episodes roughly 45 mins where chunks of my vision go missing, and what is there is a black-green tone that vibrates. I also get the stars, floating tracers and filigree light. The neuro team tell me that if the dura is cut, it’s what happens, they were surprised it took 3 years to develop. The weirdest one was one day the first letter of each word of text was missing, on text, email and real books, lasted 35 mins and really freaked me out. Happened about once a month for 4 years, and gradually reduced, now it’s about twice a year.

1 Like

@Sarah_Se I think you’re the first person that I’ve read that has had the filigree lights too! I found they helped my brain forget about the horrendous pain from the migraines. None of my doctors knew what was causing them. Perhaps because I didn’t have a craniotomy. Though it’s interesting to read they may have been atypical migraines after all!

Thanks so much for posting!
Moltroub

Hi everyone.
@Moltroub and the rest of you. I just wanted to add my experience to this topic. I think it is good to hear that I am not the only one who has experienced this kind of events.
I had a small saccular, wide neck aneurysm on my right internal carotid artery that ruptured in October last year. My aneurysm was treated with coils the same afternoon. It turned out that the aneurysm couldn’t be completely treated due to its shape and location so I was recommended to have a second procedure done with a stent and more coils. I agreed and six months after the rupture I had it done. The same day when I got my stent and more coils, my blood pressure went too high, and I received intravenous blood pressure medication . When the RN gave me the injection I experienced the most beautiful squiggly rainbow-like pattern in the most beautiful colors at the corner of my left eye, it went from multi colored to black and white. My neurosurgeon was at my bedside at this time and he immediately assessed me if I was having a stroke. Then he said, you are fine, nothing to worry about.
I had a few more events like this during the night that followed, the most spectacular was that one resembled the pattern of the stent itself, in bright fluorescent blue-white colors. This pattern repeated itself a few times during the night and looked more like squiggly lines. When I asked the doctors about this they stated that it could have been the contrast from the procedure and was nothing to worry about. So it seems by all the answers we have gotten that there could be multiple reasons for this. I had a checkup with my eye doctor and he couldn’t find anything abnormal, just normal age related problems.
When I got home and started to read about my stent I almost jumped up from my chair and said “this is exactly what I saw, the pattern of my stent in fluorescent blue-white colors” I must say that the light phenomenon I experienced was extraordinarily beautiful .
I wasn’t crazy after all :star_struck:
This group has helped me a lot! Thank you everyone for your stories.

1 Like

In 2015 Two Brain Aneurysms were found and treated with Pipe Line Embolization Devices, smaller one behind my ear treated year after. The large wide neck was located behind my r-right and “took my vision”. As the aneurysm occulted the sight slowly healed, but I experienced; migraine auras with no pain, Flashes of light and when sneezing hard and eyes closed, I see colored lights like thru pin holes in a rectangular box. Its how i explain it. Yes my r-pupil is still huge and very light sensitive(dark glasses always). My Neuro-Ophthalmologist Dr. Joseph Rizzzo at Mass Eye & Ear, Boston, MA, has me using "{Pilocarpine 1% eye drops) What a big difference, the pupil gets small and less light hurts eye. Good luck on your eye journey…i now realize it take much time for all to heal…

1 Like

There was an episode of This American Life where someone described seeing strange colors that sounded like what I was seeing. I reached out to him and he also had brain surgery, not related to annies.

It’s Part 1

I think there is a lot of us who have this issue.
You all have such interesting stories!

1 Like